Develop Consistency and Discipline

Meet John 👋

John wants to become an "10x" developer. He's heard that the right setup can make a world of difference, so he decides to go all out.

He buys a fancy ergonomic chair that feels like a throne, a mechanical keyboard that clicks in all the right ways, four ultra-high-definition monitors to make his desk look like a mission control center, and every other gadget he can think of.

John is convinced that this high-tech setup will turn him into a coding wizard overnight.

But a few weeks pass, and John realizes something's not right. Despite his impressive gear, he’s not making much progress. Why?

Because being an awesome developer isn't about having the fanciest equipment—it's about having the right habits

Would you hire someone who works inconsistently, only sometimes, and isn’t reliable?

If you answered NO to the question above, then why are you becoming someone who isn't reliable and consistent every day? Why are you turning into someone employers wouldn't want to hire?

Why Motivation Alone Isn’t Enough

Now, you might think motivation will get you through. And yes, motivation is great—at the start. It’s like a spark that ignites the fire. But motivation is fleeting. It comes and goes.

What happens when you’re not feeling motivated? That’s where consistency and discipline come in. They keep you going, even on days when you don’t feel like coding.

Consistency vs Discipline

Consistency and discipline are related but not exactly the same.

Consistency means doing something regularly, like coding every day or sticking to a study plan. It's about keeping up with routines over time, showing up every day.

Discipline is about controlling yourself and staying focused on tasks, even when they're hard or not fun. It helps you ignore distractions, meet deadlines, and finish what you start.

Discipline means doing what you have to do, even when you don't feel like it, and getting things done.

Actionable Plan for an Aspiring Developer

Morning Routine

1. Set Daily Goals

   • Write down 2-3 specific tasks or goals you want to accomplish today.
   • Example: "Complete the login functionality," "Fix bugs in the user profile page," "Review and optimize SQL queries."

2. Review Your Progress

   • Reflect on yesterday's achievements and challenges.
   • Update your task list based on any unfinished tasks or new priorities.

Work Sessions

3. Focused Work Sessions

   • Choose a task from your list and dedicate focused time to work on it.
   • Break tasks into smaller, manageable subtasks if needed (e.g., frontend design, backend logic).

4. Use Pomodoro Technique

   • Work in focused intervals (e.g., 25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break).
   • Repeat for 3-4 cycles before taking a longer break.

Midday Break and Learning

5. Take Breaks

   • Schedule short breaks between work sessions to rest and recharge.
   • Example: Stretching, walking, or quick mindfulness exercises.

6. Continuous Learning

   • Spend 30-60 minutes learning something new related to your current projects or career goals.
   • Explore documentation, watch tutorials, or read articles on relevant topics.

Afternoon and Evening Tasks

7. Project Progress

   • Continue working on your main project tasks or assignments.
   • Aim to complete specific milestones or deliverables by the end of the day.

8. Problem Solving and Skill Enhancement

   • Allocate time to solve coding challenges or practice coding exercises.
   • Use platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Codewars to improve problem-solving skills.

End-of-Day Reflection

9. Reflect and Plan
   • Review what you've accomplished during the day.
   • Note down any challenges faced and how you overcame them.
   • Plan for tomorrow by setting priorities and tasks to tackle first.

For some of you, dedicating an entire day to learning might not be feasible, especially if you already have a job or family responsibilities.

It’s challenging, but it's important to take out time for your future self. Here's what I recommend doing:

Actionable Plan for Developers with Limited time

1. Set Daily Goals

   Write down 1-2 specific tasks or learning objectives for the day. Not a list, just 1-2

2. Focus on One Task

   Choose a single task or topic to focus on for the day

3. Engage in Micro-Learning

   Watch a short tutorial, read a blog post, or go through a documentation snippet

4. Code it Out

   Code whatever related to that topic for at least an hour. Just do it

5. Stay Consistent

   Aim to work on your skills daily, no matter what. Just Show Up!

Achieving your career goals as a developer demands consistency and discipline. You can't achieve success overnight.

Even doing TikTok videos requires showing up every day and dancing, even when they don't feel like doing it.

The same applies to every other career. If Ronaldo practices every day and Messi shows up consistently, even after more than a decade of playing, who are we to complain about working hard in comparison?

Why would you expect your career to be any different?

Bye 👋

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