Alpha-one: long-term plan

Do you still want to be a web developer/designer?

Maybe what you’ve learned in this course, is that you don’t like this stuff. That’s OK. If that’s the state of things, then we should let the truth live. Feeling like you should do something… and letting it just hang over your head can really ruin your life. You can hear all about in the stories of people whose parents insisted they go become doctors or lawyers – or take over the family business when they really really didn’t want to. It’s better to be honest – and open yourself up to that possibility. Maybe we can help you get a job answering phones at a tech company – where you at least get some better pay or something related to your experience. Maybe we can help you get a better job in the industry you’re already in – with a better resume or something.

Are you burnt out? Do you need time to recuperate?

If you do want to continue this path, then are you in the right mindset? There are many reasons you might be overwhelmed. Feel free to discuss it with us. But no matter what the reason is, – if you want to continue – you may need to take some time to recuperate and get grounded.

What is your timeline? When do you want to be job ready?

This might sound like a silly question. The fact is, that if you move slowly – the timeline gets longer. Maybe it’s not reasonable for your learning style and time commitment to learn any faster than you already are. Setting a realistic timeline will help you organize a realistic plan. If you want to be job-ready in 3 months, then you’re going to have to work hard – and stay focused on the exact things we tell you to – only.

Is there a particular part of the field you want to focus on?

Maybe you should be focusing on one area. If you are freaked out by PHP and JS, then – just focus on HTML and CSS and really nail those down. Maybe you hate code – and you should really be doing more visual design exercises. Only you know. If you can get honest about where it’s going to be possible to feel passionate then this will be a lot faster.

If you just want to write the code and forget the design thinking, then let us know. We’ll load you up with tons of layout practice.

We’d say that maybe you should skip the coding and be project managers – but no one in alpha one seems like they’d be good at that.

If you aren’t excited to get home and work on some graphics or some programming – then  – refer to #1 on this list. Are you sure you want to do this stuff?

Are you being realistic about the skills needed?

There is a certain amount of skills needed. They are measurable. You can either do the responsive design challenge without a video – or you can’t. It’s not going to do any good to believe otherwise.

We can’t write recommendations or really even spend any time researching jobs for you – if you can’t do the work. The good thing is! That you can learn to do the right things. It’s going to take a lot of repetition. You CAN learn the skills – but you have to be honest about the time it will take and have a good spirit about it.

Here’s a link to the Success Checklist resource we’ve been writing.

Can you get a mental reset? and start fresh?

We do not want you to just ‘start over’ – but in your mind – – – you probably need a fresh perspective. Like we said up above, maybe you need some time off. What needs to happen – so that you can come back to this with fresh energy? Nothing is lost. It’s all just layering on top of itself. You HAVE learned a lot of great stuff. Now you just need to come back to it with a fresh perspective and stitch it all together.

Also, you can actually go backward in the course timeline and join alpha-two or alpha-three / OR wait until some future date and take the new version of the course on your own time.

Are you ready to take responsibility for yourself?

Only you can do the work.

There aren’t any other resources or systems that can make it less work. You have to do each task many many times.

If you aren’t going to do the work – then it’s better that you just let it go and choose to do something else.

It’s hard. But – it’s not going to get any easier.

Are you ready to make a plan?

We’re here to help.

We think you’re great. We WANT to help you. It’s up to you – to let us.

Are you ready to stick to the plan?

Create a system that is impossible to break. Get your mom involved.

Figure out when you’re going to have the full 2-3 hours to sit down and really work

You’re going to need support from the people in your life. So, tell them what you want to accomplish and why – and have them help you stay accountable.

Set up a clutter-free area and a time of day to study. It helps to have a consistent set of actions. A specific lamp you turn on when working / and then turn off when you are done. A special desk area away from the bustle of your family members.

It doesn’t need to be at the same time every day. We’re all different, but – it needs to be a preplanned time. You’ll need to say no to some events. You’ll need to adjust your priorities.

The goal is long-term. Write your goals and your timeline on a piece of paper and post it near your work area.

Figure out what you’re going to do

Just “working on things” isn’t enough. You’ll have to work on the right things at the right time. If you aren’t sure what to work on, ask us.

What things are going to get done? What are you going to come away with?

Write that out in your standup #daily-standup

If you are avoiding standup, can’t stay focused enough to remember, or – for whatever reason – you don’t know what to write… and it doesn’t get done: then there’s a much larger problem. If you can’t do your standup (every day), then you can’t do this job. See https://perpetual.education/resources/success-checklist/#show-up

At the very least, you can write down what you are going to attempt to do today – and share that publicly.

The only person to compete with – is yourself – from yesterday.

Post something visual in #visual-design

This is super easy. It shouldn’t need an explanation. It’s simply to keep a visual conversation going. You can’t become thoughtful in a visual way – without thinking about it. It’s about sharing with the group. What is stopping you from dragging a file into Slack?

Sit down and get focused. Do all the things you said you’d do in your stand up

It’s just you – and the time / and the learning. It will get easier and easier – if you do it – and harder and harder – if you keep avoiding it.

You won’t always get it done. That’s OK. That’s part of what we’re learning. It’s about setting expectations / and understanding what is possible.

Get support. Get in your zone. Do the work. After all, if it isn’t fun – why would you want to do this job anyway?

If you don’t want to do it for 2 hours, how will you do it for 8 hours a day?

When you’re done, post the proof that you did those things

This style of learning doesn’t have tests. You can either do the task / or you can’t. When you can’t – great. That’s learning. When you can – that’s great too, because now we have another milestone to help us decide the next step.

At the end of 2-3 hours of working – there should be some clear output. We need to see the output to measure your progress and advise.

All of the above needs to happen at least 5 days a week.

The time is there. Only you can decide how to use it.

It’s your future.

If you aren’t committed to this daily plan, then we suggest you take a formal break. Or do something entirely different.

There’s absolutely no way to get where you want to be in this industry with scattered hours here and there spread over years.

You are either working on this daily – or you are not. Don’t waste your time – or ours / by being in-between.