Quick Context: Hi, I’m Jarvis, a fullstack developer who’s been publicly documenting my 6-month career transformation journey. Three months ago, I planned to work 15 hours daily split between coding, job applications, and building on Twitter. That plan lasted exactly 0 days.

Instead, I pivoted to focusing on ONE thing: mastering Java and backend development. This is blog #5 in that journey, and for the first time in my career, I haven’t missed a single day of progress in 3 months straight.

If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been following along, you know what’s up. Let’s dive in.

The Reality Check We All Need

Let’s be honest: you’ve probably started and quit the same goal at least 17 times. Maybe it’s learning to code. Maybe it’s the gym. Maybe it’s that side project that’s been “coming soon” since 2019.

And every time you quit, you tell yourself a very convincing story about why it didn’t work out. The timing was off. You were too busy. The universe was against you.

Here’s the truth nobody wants to admit: You already know exactly how to succeed. Set a goal, try it out, commit to it, follow through, stay consistent, don’t give up, and believe it’s the ONE thing that will get you where you need to be.

But here’s the sad reality I’ve discovered:

It takes 3x longer than you planned. It’s 10x harder than you imagined. And even after you’ve sacrificed sleep, sanity, and your social life, success STILL isn’t guaranteed.

Fun, right?

I’ve tried quitting my Java journey. But somehow I’ve made it 3 months without missing a single day (I’m stoked). Not because I’m special. Not because I found some secret hack. But because I finally learned something more useful than “how to succeed.”

I learned how I give up.

And once you see your own quitting patterns, you can’t unsee them.

So, before I tell you how I’m miraculously still alive in this Java journey, let me show you something way more valuable: The foolproof playbook for giving up on literally anything.

Why? Because you can’t beat an enemy you don’t recognize.

The Perfect Guide to Giving Up

1. The “Tomorrow” Trap

Tell yourself you’ll start tomorrow. Or next week. Or next month when conditions are perfect.

This is the OG giving up strategy. Maybe you’ve already field-tested it on a few dreams. It works because tomorrow literally never arrives. Every single day has a tomorrow. Every week has a next week. Every month has a next month and every year has a next year. You can ride this excuse until you’re 90.

Try it today, and if it fails, I’ll pay you back “next week” 😅

2. The Snooze Button Strategy

Set that alarm for 5:30 AM like the ambitious warrior you are. Then when it rings, perform the sacred ritual of the snooze. Not once. Not twice. Seven times minimum, until your alarm gives up before you do.

From my extensive research (aka my entire life), this works 99.999% of the time. The only time it fails is when your alarm doesn’t go off. But that’s still a win because you’re not up, so... mission accomplished?

Setting the alarm comes as a full package: setting it, snoozing it the first time, the second time, and eventually switching it off when it becomes too noisy. Nobody needs to teach you this skill. It’s built into your DNA.

3. The Overambitious Todo List

You know what’s better than doing one thing consistently? Planning to do 17 things at once. That’s 17 times the productivity! Quick Math!

Make a list so ambitious that even Superman would look at it and say, “Bro, chill.” Wake up at 4 AM, meditate for 2 hours, learn Japanese, hit the gym, read 3 books, code for 8 hours, start a podcast, build a business, call your mom, AND master the violin.

Day 1: You check off 4 things! You’re a machine!
Day 2: 3 things. Still good though.
Day 3: 2 things. “I’m tired...”
Day 4: Stares at list
Day 5: List? What list?

This usually happens right after:

• Watching a motivational video at 2 AM
• New Year’s (NEW YEAR NEW ME!)
• Your birthday (I’M 23 NOW, TIME TO GET SERIOUS!)
• Reading a success story that ends with “if I can do it, you can too!”
• Monday morning delusion

If you actually check all 17 items for a full week, I’ll give you my website. Seriously. Take it. It’s yours.

4. The Second Attempt Quit

Click, close your laptop and walk away the second time you don’t understand your code or can’t grasp a tough concept.

Why does this work? Because even on the 6th attempt, it still won’t fully click. And if it does? Take 2 weeks off and you’re back to square one. So why torture yourself on attempt #2?

5. The 4-Day Reality Check

Get hyped. Lock in for 4 straight days. Then lift your head and survey the landscape ahead.

Let me paint the picture: You’ve planned 100 days of work. Four days in, you realize there are 96 more days just to reach the finish line. And that’s just the finish line; not when you actually get the results you want.

Real talk? If things go perfectly, you need 120-150 days to see meaningful progress. More realistically? 230 days in the unknown.

Math time: On day 4, you’re staring down at 116 days minimum, 226 days for real results. When you see it that clearly, quitting becomes the logical choice. No failure necessary.

6. The Comparison to Your Own Peak

This works once you gather enough courage to get back in the game. The moment you get back on track, compare your restart progress to when you peaked last time.

Let me use myself as an example. I once had a goal of coding a whole year straight, nonstop. Everything was working out good until it didn’t. After 164 days, I broke the streak. I hated myself for it, blamed the power outage that day, lack of time, poor laptop specs. Name it.

My motivation instantly dropped and my dream came crashing down fast. I tried to code again afterward, but I couldn’t hold myself for 20 days straight without missing a day or two and restarting all over again. I finally gave in.

Fast forward to today: I always compare my day 1 to the day I peaked at 164. Somehow I can’t get over it, and it feels like I’ll never get back to day 164, let alone my one-year straight coding plan.

Sticking to comparison will definitely work for you too, I’ll tell you that for sure.

7. The Notification Trap

Check notifications on your phone the moment they arrive.

I have a 24-hour documentary on this one, and I bet you do too. Works every time, unless your battery’s dead, internet’s out, and somehow you have zero old photos/videos to scroll through. But let’s be honest. When does that ever happen? You have 4,000 memes saved “to send later.”

It hasn’t disappointed me, like, ever. The next thing you know, your phone needs charging, your internet is used up, or someone called you about something you talked about earlier. The worst it can do is about 4 hours of good scroll time with laughter, smiles, or forever curiosity with a 1000% dopamine hit. Time flies literally within a snap of your fingers.

8. The TikTok/Reels Black Hole

Let’s address the final boss. TikTok!

Everyone got hit by this. Infected, affected, “socialfected.” You can’t dodge it unless you have zero interests (which is also a personality type, and you’ll find your people - dozens of them).

The formula: spend more than 7 seconds on one video. Maybe like it. God forbid you leave a comment. Suddenly, 4 hours have vanished into the void. You didn’t experience those hours. They’re just... gone. Deleted from your timeline.

If TikTok doesn’t hook you, try Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or Facebook Reels. There’s a black hole for everyone. Pick one, don’t stick to anything else - you’ll just exist there, having abandoned whatever you planned to do.

9. The Comparison to Others’ Success

Compare your day 6 to someone else’s day 1,567.

You won’t survive 7 more days. Probably 4 if there are two people ahead of you. Maybe 2 if you compare every single minute.

And please, don’t imagine the work they put in. Just stare at where they are and want it NOW. Like double-tapping a post. Ignore that they’ve been grinding for 4+ years straight to reach that point.

You’re done. You quit on day 0.5.

IMPORTANT: Pick just ONE of these strategies, guaranteed results. Using two is overkill. Using three? You’re an engineer of failure, and honestly, I’m impressed.

And why stick to just one if you have 9 of them. Alternate between them randomly. Keep yourself confused. Chaos is the goal here.

Plot Twist: I Chose Violence (Against My Excuses)

So... you gave up already? Perfect. Now let me get a little cocky about my back-end mastery journey.

For the last 3 months, I haven’t missed a single day without touching Java code or thinking about Java. Literally. Every. Single. Day. Just from that commitment, I’ve made more progress than I did in all my previous attempts combined.

I’ve covered all core Java concepts I’m aware of, plus chunks of advanced Java.

My Current Progress

Month 4 (RIGHT NOW): “Master Advanced Java + Backend Foundations”

Started 8 days ago (moving so fast I’m scared I’ll trip over my own progress). The checklist:

• ✅ JSP & Servlets
• ✅ JDBC
• ✅ Hibernate
• ✅ JVM

Month 5 and Beyond: Deep dive into Spring Framework (Boot, Data, AOP, DAO, JPA, Security, Cloud, Microservices, MVC).

Also planning to start job hunting. But here’s the thing: I’ll ONLY apply for mid-senior level Java roles. Nothing less. Am I qualified? Ask me in 6 weeks. Am I confident? Absolutely not. Am I doing it anyway? You’re damn right.

The Design Patterns Saga

Last month (Month #3) was all about design patterns. Found 3 YouTube resources. They were okay. Then found a 12-hour course... in C#.

Did I know C#? Nope.
Did that stop me? Also nope.

I figured: same concepts, different syntax, how hard could it be?

Plot twist: It actually worked! Most of it clicked. Some of it didn’t. But that’s future Jarvis’s problem.

Real talk though? Design patterns are DRAINING. There’s so much to unpack. I’ve gone through them, and I still don’t fully understand most of them. My rescue plan; There are 23 patterns according to the Gang of Four book, and I’m planning to spend 1-3 hours daily revisiting them until they make sense.

One pattern per day = 23 days in theory.

In reality? Probably 40+ days because reality is always harder than theory. But I’m okay with that. At least I’m doing it.

Uncessesary selfie of Jarvis (the author) in a flannel shirt and white topper 😂

The Question Everyone Asks: “Bro, HOW?”

Here’s the million-dollar question nobody asked but I’m answering anyway:

“Jarvis, how have you not given up yet?”

Honestly? I don’t know. I’m as surprised as you are. Every morning I wake up and think, “Today’s the day I quit.” Then I just don’t. It’s weird. And working for as long as it has.

But if I had to break it down (and I guess I do since this is a blog about it), here’s what’s actually happening:

What I’m NOT Doing

❎ I don’t have some magical motivation source
❎ I’m not particularly disciplined (my snooze button count says otherwise)
❎ I’m not “built different” (I’m built regular, possibly worse)
❎ I didn’t find the secret
❎ I don’t have my life together

What I DO have? Consistency. That’s literally it. The more I push, the closer I get to my goal, which makes me want to push more. It’s not deep. It’s not profound. It’s just... momentum.

Remember when I laid out that ambitious plan on paper? 15 hours a day split between Twitter, skill-building, and job apps. Land a job paying 10x my current salary within 6 months.

Yeah... about that. I ditched that plan immediately. Once I realized how much effort it truly takes to get good at coding, I pivoted. I chose ONE thing that, if I committed for 6 months straight, would give me the most return.

Career transformation won. That’s why I’m here.

The Actual Framework That’s Working (Shockingly Simple)

1. Every Day is Its Own Boss Fight

Here’s the biggest shift: I stopped thinking in streaks.

If you did your thing yesterday, it doesn’t mean you should skip today or tomorrow. On the flip side, if you missed doing it for 3 days and lost momentum, it doesn’t matter. What matters is today. What can you do today?

The moment you make every day independent, you stop carrying yesterday’s guilt or tomorrow’s anxiety. You just focus on: Can I do the thing today?

And here’s the magic part: even 30 minutes counts. You don’t need 6 hours. You need SOMETHING.

I always AIM for 2 hours. Key word: AIM.
Sometimes I get 2 hours.
Sometimes I get 30 minutes.
Sometimes I get 8 hours and feel like a god.

But I show up. That’s the only rule.

2. No Streaks, Just Daily Wins

I don’t care about my streak anymore. I care about today. Okay, okay, Fine you got me 😂 I still care, maybe less than I when I was obsessed with just streaks

“Can I do it today?” Yes.
“Did I do it yesterday?” Yes

“Did I do it the day before yesterday and the day before that?” Yes, but irrelevant.
“Does that mean I have to do it tomorrow?” No, tomorrow will ask itself.

Once I’m here, present, doing the thing, the second question becomes:
“What can I do TODAY that I’ll be proud of at the end of the month?”

Not what will impress people. Not what looks good on Twitter. What will make ME proud.

For me? Every blog post, Monthlyish. I write about Java progress makes me proud. Seeing that I’ve learned something concrete, that I’ve moved forward even a tiny bit - that’s the fuel.

3. Motivation is a Scam (Oops!)

What really motivates you? After you’ve shown up, missed days, failed streaks. What makes you come back?

My discovery: no single motivation lasts more than two weeks. I’d say a week, tops. Maybe a couple days. Not one. They’re all short-lived. Both positive and negative motivation. Neither does jack sh*t in the long run.

Trust me: you’ll struggle 3 days after the initial pump. I’ve tasted both flavors of motivation, and they follow the same script.

I’ve tried relying on motivation when I lost my job (technically had to re-prove my worth). When my colleague got promoted to software dev (who knew nothing about coding in college). When another colleague got a raise while I didn’t, despite us starting together. When I wanted to be a good example for my 15-year-old brother (academics aren’t clicking for him).

All these motivations, the positive and the negative. None of them fuel me today. They kept me going for maybe 3 days max, then faded like morning fog.

My advice: Don’t wait for motivation from anyone to start or restart. You’ll run out before you go anywhere.

Instead, plan and execute. Treat each day as independent. Keep your eyes on the prize and the difference it’ll make when you finally make it.

Motivation kickstarts the engine. Consistency is the gas that keeps it running. Or better motivation is the spark. Consistency is the fire.

Real Talk: If You Read This Far…

You’re probably feeling pumped. Maybe inspired. Maybe thinking, “Okay, THIS is the time! I’m doing it!”

Cool. But I need to tell you something:

That feeling? It’ll be gone in 3 days. Maybe a week if you’re lucky.

That’s not negative. It’s just reality! Motivation is temporary. Everyone feels it. Everyone loses it.

So here’s what I actually need you to do:

Don’t write a plan. Don’t make a list. Don’t post about it on social media.

Just do ONE thing today.

Literally one thing. Research for 20 minutes. Write one line of code. Do 10 push-ups. Read three paragraphs. Anything that moves you .1% toward your goal.

Then tomorrow? Do one thing again.

Day after? One thing.

After a week, you’ll look back and realize: “Wait, I actually did stuff.”

That satisfaction? That’s the real fuel. Not motivation. Not discipline. Just the quiet pride of showing up.

NOTE: First, You need to know what you want and actually believe it’s worth the effort. If it’s worth to you, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse. I bet my lunch on it. Yeah, that’s how serious I am. Maybe not the whole meal though 😂😂😂

Final Boss: What’s Next

This blog is just me shining a flashlight on all the ways we sabotage ourselves. Awareness is step one.

Next blog? I’ll break down the actual tactical, practical, step-by-step “how-to” beyond just “show up lol.”

But for now? Just start.

Do something. Anything.

Then do it again tomorrow.

That’s it. That’s the secret.

Quick Survival Guide (I’ll Expand These Later)

• Keep your phone in another room - Or power it off for the 20mins
• Use social media as a reward - Earn your scroll time
• There is no “right time” - starting IS the right time
• Set reasonable alarms - Adjust as you learn your rhythm
• Focus on ONE thing - Multiple goals = zero progress
• Take walks - Your brain needs breaks, it’s not giving up
• Stay open-minded and flexible - Your perfect plan will die; adapt or cry
• Isolate each day - Yesterday’s win/loss doesn’t affect today
• Don’t compare yourself to others - Track YOUR progress
• Good things take time - Annoying but true
• Develop self-awareness - Know what derails you and avoid it

P.S. Now stop reading and go do the thing you’ve been putting off. I believe in you. Or don’t, I’m not your dad.😂 But seriously, go.

P.P.S. Wrote this whole thing to convince myself not to give up tomorrow. It better work. 😂

About Jarvis

I’m a backend developer from Kenya on a mission to land a remote role paying 10x my current salary. I’m documenting the entire journey publicly; the wins, the failures, the pivots, and the lessons.

The Journey:

• Blog #1: 15 Hours Daily for 6 Months Straight
• Blog #2: Perfect Plan on Paper, Chaos in Reality
• Blog #3: How NOT to Learn Java
• Blog #4: Premium Courses vs YouTube
• Blog #5: You’re reading it

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