Learning complex stuff takes time. Peter Norvig has an excellent blog post about this, I'd recommend reading it before throwing in the towel: https://www.norvig.com/21-days.html
It's a nonsense of a blogpost. Everyone is in a rush because there's ageism in tech and getting up to speed fast is important.
"If you want, put in four years at a college (or more at a graduate school). This will give you access to some jobs that require credentials, and it will give you a deeper understanding of the field, but if you don't enjoy school, you can (with some dedication) get similar experience on your own or on the job. In any case, book learning alone won't be enough"
It's not if you want. Great importance is given to university degrees even at Google. I've lost count of people claiming education doesn't matter who have it as a prerequisite on their companies job pages.
It's more often than not a prerequisite. I was contacted a few years ago and was told that the position was for people with "BsC" degrees. They lie through the teeth all the time.
Same with Elon Musky, Phd not required but they won't even look at your resume without it.
Obviously FAANG isn't going to pay you six figures if you don't have credentials. That being said, I got my first couple jobs in the industry with nothing more than a GED. My ex-boyfriend built his own hosting company when he was 16 and was making passive income before he left high school. Some doors are closed if you lack a college education, but most paths are still open.
