u/jdotp121

I almost built the wrong product.

When I first started working on my self-improvement app, I had pages of features planned.

PvP battles.
Guilds and clans.
AI mentors.
Marketplace rewards.
Achievements.
Custom avatars.

The list just kept growing.

As a technical person, it’s easy to fall into the trap of solving interesting technical problems instead of solving the actual user problem.

Then I asked myself a simple question:
“If someone used this app tomorrow, what would actually make them come back the next day?”

Not guilds.
Not AI.
Not unnecessary features.

The answer was progression.

People need to feel like they’re moving forward.

So I cut almost everything.

Now the MVP focuses on a very simple loop:
Complete real-world tasks.
Gain XP.
Level up.
Progress through cultivation realms.
Work towards breakthroughs.

That’s it.
Ironically, removing features has probably improved the product more than adding them.

I’m still fighting bugs and rebuilding parts of the system, but at least now I’m focused on making one thing work really well before adding ten more things.

For those of you who’ve built products before:

What’s the biggest feature you cut that ended up making your product better?

A few weeks ago I decided to build something I’ve wanted for years.

I’m a Technical Support Engineer by trade, with a background in IT support, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting systems all day. Outside of work, I’ve always been interested in self-imvement, gaming, and progression systems.

The idea came from a frustration I’ve had with almost every productivity app I’ve tried.

Most habit trackers feel like spreadsheets.

You tick a box.
A streak goes up.
You eventually stop caring.

I wanted something that felt more like progressing a character.

Recently I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cline, and OpenRouter to help accelerate development, so I challenged myself to see how far I could get building this idea as a solo founder.

The concept is inspired by cultivation systems from novels, manga, and anime.

Instead of simply tracking habits, users gain XP by completing real-world actions:

• Reading
• Studying
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Financial goals
• Personal development

As they progress, they level up through realms, unlock breakthroughs, and eventually face progression trials before advancing.

The funny thing is the technical side has been much harder than I expected.

I’ve already broken the progression system multiple times, had XP calculations go completely wrong, and spent far too many hours fighting database bugs and daily reset logic.

But that’s part of the fun.

Right now I’m focused on building the core loop and resisting the temptation to add hundreds of features before proving the idea works.

I’m planning to build in public and share both the wins and the mistakes along the way.

I’m curious:

What’s one thing you think most productivity or habit-tracking apps get wrong?

A few weeks ago I decided to build something I’ve wanted for years.

I’m a Technical Support Engineer by trade, with a background in IT support, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting systems all day. Outside of work, I’ve always been interested in self-imvement, gaming, and progression systems.

The idea came from a frustration I’ve had with almost every productivity app I’ve tried.

Most habit trackers feel like spreadsheets.

You tick a box.
A streak goes up.
You eventually stop caring.

I wanted something that felt more like progressing a character.

Recently I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cline, and OpenRouter to help accelerate development, so I challenged myself to see how far I could get building this idea as a solo founder.

The concept is inspired by cultivation systems from novels, manga, and anime.

Instead of simply tracking habits, users gain XP by completing real-world actions:

• Reading
• Studying
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Financial goals
• Personal development

As they progress, they level up through realms, unlock breakthroughs, and eventually face progression trials before advancing.

The funny thing is the technical side has been much harder than I expected.

I’ve already broken the progression system multiple times, had XP calculations go completely wrong, and spent far too many hours fighting database bugs and daily reset logic.

But that’s part of the fun.

Right now I’m focused on building the core loop and resisting the temptation to add hundreds of features before proving the idea works.

I’m planning to build in public and share both the wins and the mistakes along the way.

I’m curious:

What’s one thing you think most productivity or habit-tracking apps get wrong?

A few weeks ago I decided to build something I’ve wanted for years.

I’m a Technical Support Engineer by trade, with a background in IT support, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting systems all day. Outside of work, I’ve always been interested in self-imvement, gaming, and progression systems.

The idea came from a frustration I’ve had with almost every productivity app I’ve tried.

Most habit trackers feel like spreadsheets.

You tick a box.
A streak goes up.
You eventually stop caring.

I wanted something that felt more like progressing a character.

Recently I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cline, and OpenRouter to help accelerate development, so I challenged myself to see how far I could get building this idea as a solo founder.

The concept is inspired by cultivation systems from novels, manga, and anime.

Instead of simply tracking habits, users gain XP by completing real-world actions:

• Reading
• Studying
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Financial goals
• Personal development

As they progress, they level up through realms, unlock breakthroughs, and eventually face progression trials before advancing.

The funny thing is the technical side has been much harder than I expected.

I’ve already broken the progression system multiple times, had XP calculations go completely wrong, and spent far too many hours fighting database bugs and daily reset logic.

But that’s part of the fun.

Right now I’m focused on building the core loop and resisting the temptation to add hundreds of features before proving the idea works.

I’m planning to build in public and share both the wins and the mistakes along the way.

I’m curious:

What’s one thing you think most productivity or habit-tracking apps get wrong?

A few weeks ago I decided to build something I’ve wanted for years.

I’m a Technical Support Engineer by trade, with a background in IT support, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting systems all day. Outside of work, I’ve always been interested in self-imvement, gaming, and progression systems.

The idea came from a frustration I’ve had with almost every productivity app I’ve tried.

Most habit trackers feel like spreadsheets.

You tick a box.
A streak goes up.
You eventually stop caring.

I wanted something that felt more like progressing a character.

Recently I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cline, and OpenRouter to help accelerate development, so I challenged myself to see how far I could get building this idea as a solo founder.

The concept is inspired by cultivation systems from novels, manga, and anime.

Instead of simply tracking habits, users gain XP by completing real-world actions:

• Reading
• Studying
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Financial goals
• Personal development

As they progress, they level up through realms, unlock breakthroughs, and eventually face progression trials before advancing.

The funny thing is the technical side has been much harder than I expected.

I’ve already broken the progression system multiple times, had XP calculations go completely wrong, and spent far too many hours fighting database bugs and daily reset logic.

But that’s part of the fun.

Right now I’m focused on building the core loop and resisting the temptation to add hundreds of features before proving the idea works.

I’m planning to build in public and share both the wins and the mistakes along the way.

I’m curious:

What’s one thing you think most productivity or habit-tracking apps get wrong?

A few weeks ago I decided to build something I’ve wanted for years.

I’m a Technical Support Engineer by trade, with a background in IT support, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting systems all day. Outside of work, I’ve always been interested in self-imvement, gaming, and progression systems.

The idea came from a frustration I’ve had with almost every productivity app I’ve tried.

Most habit trackers feel like spreadsheets.

You tick a box.
A streak goes up.
You eventually stop caring.

I wanted something that felt more like progressing a character.

Recently I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cline, and OpenRouter to help accelerate development, so I challenged myself to see how far I could get building this idea as a solo founder.

The concept is inspired by cultivation systems from novels, manga, and anime.

Instead of simply tracking habits, users gain XP by completing real-world actions:

• Reading
• Studying
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Financial goals
• Personal development

As they progress, they level up through realms, unlock breakthroughs, and eventually face progression trials before advancing.

The funny thing is the technical side has been much harder than I expected.

I’ve already broken the progression system multiple times, had XP calculations go completely wrong, and spent far too many hours fighting database bugs and daily reset logic.

But that’s part of the fun.

Right now I’m focused on building the core loop and resisting the temptation to add hundreds of features before proving the idea works.

I’m planning to build in public and share both the wins and the mistakes along the way.

I’m curious:

What’s one thing you think most productivity or habit-tracking apps get wrong?

A few weeks ago I decided to build something I’ve wanted for years.

I’m a Technical Support Engineer by trade, with a background in IT support, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting systems all day. Outside of work, I’ve always been interested in self-imvement, gaming, and progression systems.

The idea came from a frustration I’ve had with almost every productivity app I’ve tried.

Most habit trackers feel like spreadsheets.

You tick a box.
A streak goes up.
You eventually stop caring.

I wanted something that felt more like progressing a character.

Recently I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cline, and OpenRouter to help accelerate development, so I challenged myself to see how far I could get building this idea as a solo founder.

The concept is inspired by cultivation systems from novels, manga, and anime.

Instead of simply tracking habits, users gain XP by completing real-world actions:

• Reading
• Studying
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Financial goals
• Personal development

As they progress, they level up through realms, unlock breakthroughs, and eventually face progression trials before advancing.

The funny thing is the technical side has been much harder than I expected.

I’ve already broken the progression system multiple times, had XP calculations go completely wrong, and spent far too many hours fighting database bugs and daily reset logic.

But that’s part of the fun.

Right now I’m focused on building the core loop and resisting the temptation to add hundreds of features before proving the idea works.

I’m planning to build in public and share both the wins and the mistakes along the way.

I’m curious:

What’s one thing you think most productivity or habit-tracking apps get wrong?

A few weeks ago I decided to build something I’ve wanted for years.

I’m a Technical Support Engineer by trade, with a background in IT support, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting systems all day. Outside of work, I’ve always been interested in self-imvement, gaming, and progression systems.

The idea came from a frustration I’ve had with almost every productivity app I’ve tried.

Most habit trackers feel like spreadsheets.

You tick a box.
A streak goes up.
You eventually stop caring.

I wanted something that felt more like progressing a character.

Recently I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cline, and OpenRouter to help accelerate development, so I challenged myself to see how far I could get building this idea as a solo founder.

The concept is inspired by cultivation systems from novels, manga, and anime.

Instead of simply tracking habits, users gain XP by completing real-world actions:

• Reading
• Studying
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Financial goals
• Personal development

As they progress, they level up through realms, unlock breakthroughs, and eventually face progression trials before advancing.

The funny thing is the technical side has been much harder than I expected.

I’ve already broken the progression system multiple times, had XP calculations go completely wrong, and spent far too many hours fighting database bugs and daily reset logic.

But that’s part of the fun.

Right now I’m focused on building the core loop and resisting the temptation to add hundreds of features before proving the idea works.

I’m planning to build in public and share both the wins and the mistakes along the way.

I’m curious:

What’s one thing you think most productivity or habit-tracking apps get wrong?

A few weeks ago I decided to build something I’ve wanted for years.

I’m a Technical Support Engineer by trade, with a background in IT support, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting systems all day. Outside of work, I’ve always been interested in self-imvement, gaming, and progression systems.

The idea came from a frustration I’ve had with almost every productivity app I’ve tried.

Most habit trackers feel like spreadsheets.

You tick a box.
A streak goes up.
You eventually stop caring.

I wanted something that felt more like progressing a character.

Recently I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cline, and OpenRouter to help accelerate development, so I challenged myself to see how far I could get building this idea as a solo founder.

The concept is inspired by cultivation systems from novels, manga, and anime.

Instead of simply tracking habits, users gain XP by completing real-world actions:

• Reading
• Studying
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Financial goals
• Personal development

As they progress, they level up through realms, unlock breakthroughs, and eventually face progression trials before advancing.

The funny thing is the technical side has been much harder than I expected.

I’ve already broken the progression system multiple times, had XP calculations go completely wrong, and spent far too many hours fighting database bugs and daily reset logic.

But that’s part of the fun.

Right now I’m focused on building the core loop and resisting the temptation to add hundreds of features before proving the idea works.

I’m planning to build in public and share both the wins and the mistakes along the way.

I’m curious:

What’s one thing you think most productivity or habit-tracking apps get wrong?

A few weeks ago I decided to build something I’ve wanted for years.

I’m a Technical Support Engineer by trade, with a background in IT support, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting systems all day. Outside of work, I’ve always been interested in self-imvement, gaming, and progression systems.

The idea came from a frustration I’ve had with almost every productivity app I’ve tried.

Most habit trackers feel like spreadsheets.

You tick a box.
A streak goes up.
You eventually stop caring.

I wanted something that felt more like progressing a character.

Recently I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cline, and OpenRouter to help accelerate development, so I challenged myself to see how far I could get building this idea as a solo founder.

The concept is inspired by cultivation systems from novels, manga, and anime.

Instead of simply tracking habits, users gain XP by completing real-world actions:

• Reading
• Studying
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Financial goals
• Personal development

As they progress, they level up through realms, unlock breakthroughs, and eventually face progression trials before advancing.

The funny thing is the technical side has been much harder than I expected.

I’ve already broken the progression system multiple times, had XP calculations go completely wrong, and spent far too many hours fighting database bugs and daily reset logic.

But that’s part of the fun.

Right now I’m focused on building the core loop and resisting the temptation to add hundreds of features before proving the idea works.

I’m planning to build in public and share both the wins and the mistakes along the way.

I’m curious:

What’s one thing you think most productivity or habit-tracking apps get wrong?