In control systems a feedback loop is essential, as the system has to constantly make calculations on the input in order to determine the final output. For example, a fridge has to constantly monitor its temperature to know when to turn itself off or on.
If the input deviates from the desired value, the output is modified to compensate. Having a feedback loop with a long latency may cause the system to not operate correctly. This is the reason rovers on Mars can’t be controlled in real time, as the latency (several minutes), is too big for any person or machine.
You can think of yourself as a control system. Constantly getting inputs from your surroundings and taking action accordingly. Learning from your successes and mistakes.
Programming, unlike many other tasks offers a very fast feedback loop. Your program crashed? Don’t worry, make some changes and run it again. Unlike painting for example, where you would need to start all over again if you make a big mistake. Or in carpentry, where making another trip to the hardware store to buy the materials for the next prototype can delay a project for another week.
Software is very forgiving in that sense. The cost of making mistakes is very low, but sometimes this feedback loop can gain quite a lot of latency:
You want fast feedback loops. You will learn faster, gain more wisdom, and you will be aware of the many possible solutions, as you’ve already tried them all.
And this doesn’t only apply to programming, but to any skill in general.