And if you're still waiting for "motivation," you're already losing time
Originally published on Medium.com
Let me get this straight from the beginning.
You don't need another inspirational quote.
You don't need another perfect roadmap.
And you sure as hell don't need another YouTube guru telling you how "easy" it is to become a software engineer in 6 months.
If that were true, you wouldn't be reading this. You'd already be writing clean code, deploying apps, solving real problems, and getting paid for it.
So let's stop lying to ourselves.
This whole "become a developer fast" trend is killing more dreams than it builds.
It screwed me up big time.
I spent years frustrated, hopping from tutorial to tutorial, watching others "make it" while I still felt like an impostor with 38+ open tabs and zero clarity.
But I didn't quit.
And that's the only reason I'm still here — still coding, still fighting, still building.
So I'm writing this to you, who's probably stuck somewhere between wanting it and actually doing it. Or doing it but still feeling stuck.
This is how I survived that phase without giving up — and how you can too.
Step 1: Admit how you got here
Everyone loves to flex their "origin story."
Not me. Mine is as raw as it gets.
I didn't discover Computer Science because I was some genius building robots at age 12.
I didn't grow up with fast Wi-Fi, a MacBook Pro, and parents who bought me a Raspberry Pi to "explore my passion."
I grew up in a poor neighborhood where even finding a computer was a miracle. Half of my learning happened without the internet.
Half of my motivation came from pure tenacity.
Maybe your story is different. Maybe you came here because:
- You saw a "$100k salary in 9 months" ad.
- A friend told you to switch careers.
- You're just sick of your current life and want something better.
Whatever your reason — own it.
Because where you come from explains where you are, but it doesn't decide where you'll go.
Step 2: Stop learning to code. Start deciding who the hell you want to be.
Let me drop something brutally honest:
"I want to learn to code" is NOT a goal.
That's like saying you want to get fit without knowing whether you want to lift weights, run marathons, or simply fit into your jeans again.
So let me ask you straight:
- Do you want to become a Frontend Engineer?
- Or a Backend Developer?
- Or Fullstack?
- Or build indie SaaS for fun?
- Or maybe just make enough to work from home?
Whatever it is — pick a damn lane.
Write it down.
Commit to it.
And stop flirting with everything you see on social media.
If you scroll through dev Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and switch your stack every week, congratulations — the algorithm owns your future.
Step 3: Stick to your path like your life depends on it (because it does)
Choosing a path is easy.
Staying on it is where 99% of people lose.
Consistency beats intelligence. Every. Single. Time.
Not because consistent people don't get tired.
But because consistent people don't negotiate with themselves.
They don't say:
"I'll code only when I feel motivated."
They say:
"I'll code whether I feel like shit or feel like a god."
So let me give you the only discipline rule that changed my life:
Never go two days without touching code.
Not an entire bootcamp. Not 5 hours of grinding. Just touch code.
- Read the docs.
- Solve one bug.
- Write 10 lines.
- Improve one function.
Momentum is a weapon. Either you use it, or it kills you slowly while you scroll.
Don't go fast — go consistent and honest
I'll make you a bet:
You've probably said this before:
"I'm going to learn React… no wait, maybe Angular… no, I should probably master JavaScript first… or maybe I should learn backend basics too…"
Stop.
Stop sprinting like a headless chicken.
You don't need speed. You need depth.
Foundations are not "boring." They are your secret weapon.
- If you know real JavaScript, you'll learn React faster.
- If you understand HTTP and JSON, APIs won't scare you.
- If you know loops, conditions, and functions, you'll write cleaner logic everywhere.
Speed burns you out.
Consistency creates mastery.
Step 5: Resilience > Talent
There were nights when I questioned everything.
I wrote code with all my energy. I studied until my brain melted.
And still — no job, no recognition, no big win.
I thought:
"Maybe I'm not smart enough."
Wrong.
The truth?
You don't fail because you're not smart. You fail because you expect results too early.
Do not judge your future based on your current output.
Real developers are not the ones who "never fail."
They are the ones who fail slower, recover faster, and show up again.
If you're feeling stuck — good.
That means you're actually building the muscle that matters most: Resilience.
Step 6: Track your growth (so your brain stops lying to you)
Your brain is your biggest enemy.
It loves to whisper:
- "You haven't improved."
- "You're still a beginner."
- "Everyone else is ahead of you."
So here's how you slap your brain back:
- Start a Progress Log.
- Write one sentence per day: "Today I learned…"
- Screenshot a solved bug.
- Push one tiny repo to GitHub.
- Compare your old code every month.
When you see how far you've come, quitting becomes impossible.
Step 7: Read. Code. Write. Share. Repeat.
This is the ultimate cycle that built me:
- Read, but only about your chosen path.
- Code, even when it's ugly. Especially when it's ugly.
- Write, even if nobody reads it. Your brain remembers what your hands type.
- Share, not for likes — but for help, feedback, and accountability.
- Repeat, even when nobody claps.
Success isn't glamorous.
It's boring repetition done by stubborn dreamers.
Final Words (read this twice)
I'm not writing this because I'm "better" than you.
I'm writing it because I am you.
I still doubt myself. I still break things. I still feel behind sometimes.
But here's what keeps me alive in this journey:
In the race between consistency and talent — consistency wins. Every damn time.
Now stop reading. Start moving.
If you're serious about this life — not just thinking about it — here's your first real move:
Stop scrolling "motivational posts" right now.
Open www.mullinstack.com
Pick one article.
Execute something from it TODAY.
No excuses. No "I'll do it later." No more waiting for the perfect moment.
Because let me be real with you:
Your future self will SLAP you if you don't.
See you inside.
👉 www.mullinstack.com — Where dreamers stop dreaming and start building.
Top comments (0)