Whether you’re coding, starting a business, or pursuing any goal, there’s one golden rule made by Jordan Peters: Do not f*ing miss. What does that mean? It means that when you commit to something, you give it everything. No distractions. No half-effort. No quick breaks every 15 minutes. You focus, go deep, and execute with precision. 🎯

Focus is Everything
In today's world, distractions are everywhere. Whether it’s social media, notifications, it’s easy to lose track. But here’s the deal: your best work comes when you’re fully immersed. This is especially true in programming. As a backend developer, every detail matters, and distractions lead to bugs, inefficiency, and bad architecture.

When you sit down to code, commit to deep, uninterrupted work. For example, if you’re building an API in Node.js, don’t just write code that “works.” Write code that scales, performs, and is maintainable.

Deep Work in Programming: Example with Node.js
Let’s say you’re tasked with creating an efficient API endpoint that handles thousands of requests per second. A distracted developer might just write a basic handler and move on. But a focused developer? They go deeper:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

// Basic route - A distracted dev might stop here
app.get('/data', async (req, res) => {
  const data = await fetchData(); // fetchData might be slow, causing issues later
  res.json(data);
});

// Focused work: Caching for performance
const cache = new Map();
app.get('/data', async (req, res) => {
  if (cache.has('data')) {
    return res.json(cache.get('data')); // Return from cache
  }
  const data = await fetchData();
  cache.set('data', data); // Cache the result
  res.json(data);
});

The first version might work, but it could be inefficient when traffic increases. The second version, on the other hand, includes caching, preventing repeated database queries and improving performance. That’s the difference between just working and working effectively.

Consistency and Volume: The Secret to Evolution
Here’s the truth: Success isn’t about one perfect moment of brilliance. It’s about consistent effort and high volume of work over time. Whether you're coding every day, launching features, fixing bugs, or improving your skills, volume is the key to thrive. The more you build, test, and learn, the more you evolve.

As backend developers, we don’t just solve problems; we prevent them. Writing tests, handling edge cases, optimizing performance – these are the things that separate good programmers from great ones.

Take error handling, for example. A distracted dev might handle only the obvious errors, while a focused dev prepares for every possible failure:

// Distracted error handling
app.get('/data', async (req, res) => {
  const data = await fetchData();
  res.json(data);
});

// Focused error handling
app.get('/data', async (req, res) => {
  try {
    const data = await fetchData();
    res.json(data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching data:', error);
    res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed to fetch data' });
  }
});

When you focus deeply and put in the reps, you think beyond just the "happy path" and make your code more robust. The more code you write, the better you get at catching potential issues before they happen.

You actually have no idea how important work volume is in every damn aspect of your life.

Work Deep, Avoid Shallow
Shallow work is easy: it’s the 5-minute email checks, quick Slack replies, or writing code that’s “good enough.” But shallow work won’t make you great. To truly excel, you need to dive deep. That means long, uninterrupted periods of work where you solve hard problems, learn new techniques, and build things that matter.

Here’s a tip: Time-block your day. Dedicate 2-3 hours to deep coding sessions, no distractions, no interruptions. Whether you’re debugging a tricky issue or implementing a new feature, this is where the magic happens.

Maximizing Effectiveness
Being effective is not just about writing code fast. It’s about writing the right code. It’s about solving the right problems in the most efficient way possible. Here’s an example of working effectively in Node.js:

You’re tasked with creating a real-time chat system. Sure, you could just use setTimeout to poll the server every few seconds. But is that effective? Not really. Instead, consider using WebSockets for real-time, bi-directional communication. This is what "not missing" looks like in programming:

const WebSocket = require('ws');
const server = new WebSocket.Server({ port: 8080 });

server.on('connection', (socket) => {
  socket.on('message', (message) => {
    console.log(`Received: ${message}`);
    // Broadcast the message to all connected clients
    server.clients.forEach(client => {
      if (client.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
        client.send(message);
      }
    });
  });

  socket.send('Welcome to the chat!');
});

This approach ensures a scalable, real-time solution instead of a quick and dirty hack.

No Excuses, Just Execution
At the end of the day, success in any field boils down to consistent execution and volume of effort. Whether you’re writing code, starting a business, or pursuing any other goal, it’s all about taking it seriously and putting in the hard work. No distractions. No shortcuts. Just deep, effective work, and doing it over and over.

So, the next time you sit down to code, remember: Do not f*ing miss**. 💥 And above all, keep putting in the reps—because volume is the key to growth and evolution. 💪