- Evaluation after not completing 100DaysOfCode absolutely focused on CoderMatching
- eventually a letter to my future self
What went well?
- first 2-3 months (until mid-feb/beginning-march) well focused -> Django: build „MVP“ + Deployment: Publish MVP with Heroku, GitHub
- focused on that topic: 100DaysOfCode: focus CoderMatching
- even if slow and hard progress: steady
- find like-minded communities to ask for help if got stuck (Eddiehub🙌, (Twitter, other discord channels))
- somewhat clear goal (without pressure): deploy MVP (within 100DaysOfCode)
- after 3 month: productivity decreased:
- too much time for details of subjects:
- GitHub and Git deployment and workflow (after actually having set up a basic work flow)
- tried to standardize processes to early?! Focus to much on workflow rather then actual work/project
- tried to be to perfectionist with commit messages, branches etc?!
- then HTML (~2 weeks for one tutorial)
What helped me to be productive (before decreasement of productivity)?
- focus on ONE main topic (CoderMatching without pressure)
- eliminiate almost all distractions (empty calender, not many other responsibilities)
- low pressure: not tied to incredibly huge goals (financial freedom in the long run (10-15 years), not now (1-3 years))
- having realistic and embracing awareness of „what’s (not) possible in short-term compared to what’s possible in the long run“
- see long-term profitability of ONE thing (learn programming to build projects and own business)
- welcome opportunity
- value opportunity to land a job and get paid on the job to learn what I need to build my own online business
- belief that I could gain a good life style and an additional side project
- satisfied by the opportunity to get a flexible job (eventually) with potentially nice colleagues and building a side-project to become a profitable company in the long run
- fun: programming was fun
- grant other people their success and have been certain that their success wouldn’t reduce mine
- may optimally even increase my success and vice versa
- mindset and strong believe in joint growth👨👩👧👦 over lonely success and competition
What decreased my productivity (What changed)?
- overwhelming difficulty level of coding – gap between what I was able to create after 3-4 month compared to what I want to create
- lost focus (didn’t focus to improve CoderMatching anymore)
- rather tried to improve other seeminlgy related skills by working on tutorials rather than trying to find solutions and improve CoderMatching itself
- finding out that quite many people (on tech twitter) are working on online businesses
- short-term: huge motivation to see Pieter Levels (and also other people) succeed so greatly
- feeling huge competition
- feeling that I couldn’t build such great projects as others do
- feeling: don’t have outreach to market a product and find customers – even if I had a great product
- confirmation by many posts on indiehacker tech twitter: basic message: „Marketing is everything; even if you have a great product you may fail if you don’t have great marketing“
- realization: need way more skills (feeling that I lacked all skilles needed)
- don’t know how to build a product
- don’t know how to market a product
- don’t know how to measure success
- uncertaintly: „Shouldn’t I yet still do an MBA to get the marketing and business knowledge to build a profitable company?“
- unwillingness to work in an employment relationship
- doubts
- physical pain: from the beginning; meanwhile even worse (fingers, hands, wrists, shoulder, neck, (head))!
- physical inability: type speed to slow to be successful developer at all – or better an indiehacker!!!?
- does programming and building these kind of companies really bring me to my dream destination? (needs-oriented, sustainable, local (permaculture) community = friends)
- (covid infection interrupted habits)
- several job rejections
- realization that I didn’t learn as quick as I hoped (not even able to get a programming job after almost 6 month)
- „Will I ever be able to land a coding job? Maybe I should just take another job.“
- meanwhile don’t want a job anymore but eagerly mad want freedom at any price
- meanwhile not much peace anymore
- perception: need to build business now! need to learn everything now (coding, UX/UI design, marketing: build plenty of marketing channels on every social media platform, business development: lean methods, validation, feedback analysis, …)
- while not even having a job
- no job anymore (freelance client which gave basic income for few monthly workhours (~40-60) quit)
- didn’t learn valuable skills there anyway
- programming not really fun anymore but rather exhausting, pointless and boring
- want to do other things (but don’t even know what – maybe real estate?)
Which solutions/opportunities do I see now?
- Build social media presence to increase/maximize outreach and help people
- provide a valuable platform to help people honestly and altruistically
- help connect people and facilitate relationships👨👩👧👦
- don’t focus on own profit but rather on helping people!! (Keep in mind: That’s what motivates you most and gives you power intrinsically!)
- own profit may come if your successfully help others!
- to brand/market myself/me/my project(s) – as recommended by GaryVee’s Crushing it!
- if you manage to brand yourself and gain outreach you’ll become trusted (and you’ll be able to either sell other peoples products or your own – if you want)
Doubts/down sides about potential opportunities
- In „Crushing it!“ Gary Vee says that if you want to reach exceptional success in life you need to make exceptional compromises
- feel like I couldn’t make these exceptional compromises (dangerous: diverge from friends😱 + fear burnout)
What could be improved?
- make long term plans and break them down
- take and schedule time to revise plans and eventually pivot – reguarly (once a month??)
- make sure you don’t end up in a phase where you don’t have clear plans how to go on
- be aware whether you are currently in a situation of unlcear plans
- if you realize that you are -> take the time and freedom to revise your plans, to be productive and happy again faster
What helped/motivated me in the beginning of CoderMatching
- altruism: didn’t just make it for myself: thought make project open source, just to learn coding, to connect with people
- -> didn’t just make it for me & the money: did it for myself but ESPECIALLY also for other people: help people connect and create great projects👨👩👧👦, businesses etc
- did it to get a job
- belief: could make an open source project which is profitable at the same time
- did it to connect myself and other people with people👨👩👧👦
- did it for people not for the money -> motivation
- clear focus on scope
- Webprojects with Django -> Focus clearly Django -> specialize and become proficient in Django
- perception that I don’t need to accomplish financial freedom and build a business NOW
- had the peace to teach myself programming, eventually get a job in that field and on the side (long run) build a business
- -> get the peace back: relax🧘♀️, you have time! But keep it up persistantly! Persistence is key‼‼🔁
- you don’t need to accomplish the end goal now-now
- but please start to work on in persistently🔁 over a long period of time publically🎤 (to be somewhat accountable + to validate what you do + to actually help others!)
- no matter what you decide to do for a living or otherwise!
- or do it until you reach the point where you are able to focus on that (because it pays living expenses)
- -> good question for future: What helps/helped you to focus calmly and aware?
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