We live in a time when productivity has become more than just a goal—it’s a lifestyle, a badge of honour worn by those who hustle hard. It’s almost like a trendy T-shirt: one season it’s in.
The next, it’s discarded for something new.
But here’s the thing: productivity isn’t just about following the latest trend or ticking off items on a to-do list. It’s about genuine progress, from rolling your sleeves to diving into the mess.
And let me tell you, nothing has taught me this more than my experience building my website.
The Value of Getting Your Hands Dirty
People often say that theory is crucial for success. And I agree—you need to know your processes, theories, and all the steps involved in any task. But at some point, you have to stop reading about it and start doing it. The best learning happens when you’re right there, in the middle of it, making mistakes and figuring things out as you go.
Take my website journey, for example. I’ve known WordPress since its inception when blogging was a fresh concept, and creating your site seemed revolutionary. Over the years, I’ve installed and configured dozens of WordPress sites, but this year brought new challenges despite my familiarity. I decided to get serious about my site and make it something I could use to share what I know. But then I hit a wall—a confusing, frustrating wall.
Hitting the Wall: The Struggles of Building Something Great
I started with WordPress and GeneratePress, a theme I had heard rave reviews about. People loved its simplicity, speed, and efficiency, which seemed perfect for what I needed. But things didn’t go as planned. No matter how much I tinkered with the templates, nothing looked how I wanted. Everything felt slow and clunky. And as my frustration grew, I found myself on the edge of giving up.
It was a humbling moment.
Here I was, someone who had been using WordPress for years, feeling completely stuck. But instead of throwing in the towel, I gave myself a much-needed pep talk. I reminded myself that nothing worth doing is easy and decided to dive deeper.
So, I went back to the basics. I read the documentation, watched hours of YouTube tutorials, and kept experimenting. It wasn’t easy, but slowly, things started to click.
The Breakthrough: Mastering Through Mistakes
After months of trial and error, I created my template from scratch. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine, and more importantly, I knew how to do it again. Every mistake I had made along the way had taught me something new. That’s the beauty of hands-on learning—you don’t just learn how to do something. You understand why it works the way it does.
But, of course, the journey didn't stop there.
Once my site was functional, I faced another challenge: my content. I realized my posts weren’t hitting the mark, and that led me down the rabbit hole of SEO.
Now, SEO is one of those things everyone talks about, but until you’ve tried to optimize your site, it’s hard to grasp how complex it can be.
SEO: A Whole New Learning Curve
At first, I installed Yoast, one of the most popular SEO plugins. Even the free version taught me a lot, so I almost bought the premium license. But something was still missing. My site wasn’t ranking how I wanted it to, and my traffic was virtually non-existent. Once again, I was back at square one, researching solutions and trying new approaches.
That’s when I stumbled upon AIOSEO. I uninstalled Yoast and tried AIOSEO, and suddenly, all those months of learning and trial and error started to make sense. Both are incredible tools, but for me AIOSEO is working great.
My SEO scores were between 96 and 100, and the feedback from pagespeed.web.dev was excellent.
My site was finally in great shape, but there was one final problem: traffic.
The Traffic Problem: Understanding the Bigger Picture
Even with a beautifully optimized site, my traffic was still minimal. That’s when I decided to dive deeply into keyword research and competitive analysis. I registered for Ahrefs, which, though expensive, offered a free version packed with valuable information.
It helped me understand how things work beneath the surface—how the right keywords, backlinks, and site structure could drastically impact a site’s visibility.
But here’s where things got tricky. I was eager to boost traffic, so I nearly went down a dangerous path. I considered buying backlinks through Fiverr.
It seemed like an easy solution for a moment—a quick win in a long, hard-fought battle. But something didn’t sit right. It felt like cheating like it would undo all the effort I had put into creating something authentic and meaningful.
In the end, I decided against it. I’m glad I didn’t take that shortcut because building something real takes time.
Hrefs have a YouTube video about this.
And while my traffic isn't where I want it to be, I'm seeing steady progress.
My site is getting more views, and more keywords are ranking. Who knows? Maybe one day, I’ll see that traffic flood in.
But for now, I’m content with knowing I’ve built something solid that I can be proud of.
Productivity: More Than Just a Trend
Reflecting on this journey, I’ve realized that we live in a world where productivity is often worn like a fashion statement.
We’re obsessed with being busy and checking things off our lists, but we rarely stop to think about the quality of our work. I see people chasing the next big thing, switching from one project to another, discarding what they’ve built when it stops being trendy.
But actual productivity isn’t about that. It’s not about how many tasks you can complete in a day or how many hours you work. Real productivity comes from consistent effort, learning through doing, and making mistakes and growing from them. It’s about staying committed to the process, even when it’s hard or you feel like giving up.
The Rewards of Consistent Effort
One of my most important lessons is that nothing happens overnight. You can’t expect to see results immediately, but you’ll get there if you keep putting in the effort and pushing through the obstacles. I didn’t think I would get to this point when I started taking my site seriously. But here I am, just a few months later, with a site I’m proud of, solid SEO, and slowly increasing traffic.
Sure, there are still challenges ahead. I’ve only scratched the surface; there’s so much more to learn. But that’s the beauty of the journey—there’s always room for growth, always something new to discover.
Key Takeaways for Your Journey
So, if you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or like you’re spinning your wheels, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Get your hands dirty: Don’t just read about it—do it. The best way to learn is by making mistakes and figuring things out.
- Stay committed: Progress takes time. Don’t give up when things get tough. Keep pushing through, and you’ll see the results.
- Avoid shortcuts: It’s tempting to take the easy route, but in the end, there’s no substitute for genuine effort. Build something real, something you can be proud of.
- Embrace the learning process: Whether it’s SEO, website design, or anything else, be open to learning from your failures. Every setback is an opportunity to grow.
- Understand productivity for what it is: Productivity isn’t a trend; it’s a mindset. Focus on consistent, meaningful effort rather than chasing the latest fad.
Conclusion: Building Something That Lasts
In a world obsessed with speed and instant gratification, it’s easy to forget that nothing in life comes easy.
But that's precisely why the journey matters.
Whether building a website, starting a business, or learning a new skill, remember that the real rewards come from the process.
So, get your hands dirty, stay committed, and keep learning—because, in the end, that’s where proper growth happens.
Key Takeaways:
- Hands-on learning beats theory every time.
- Consistency trumps speed when it comes to building something meaningful.
- Avoid shortcuts and invest in the process.
- Productivity isn’t about quantity; it’s about quality and sustainable growth.
- Mistakes are essential for growth—embrace them!