A backend developer with 1.5 years of experience shares their journey of dedicating 2 hours daily for 31 days to studying data structures and algorithms (1 hour) and system design (1 hour). The consistent practice transformed their technical understanding, interview performance, and workplace confidence. They progressed from struggling with basic concepts to recognizing DSA patterns and explaining system design topics like message queues, caching, and load balancing. The approach emphasizes discipline over motivation, with a simple routine of solving LeetCode problems and studying one system design concept daily through videos and diagrams.