Build a Side Project Habit That Does Not Disappear After Three Weeks

Side project abandonment usually happens at the same stage: after the initial burst of enthusiasm, when the project has not yet produced anything visible and ordinary life has taken back the time. The habit structure that survives this needs to be built for imperfect weeks, not ideal ones, and needs a way to tell the difference between a project that should continue and one that should formally end. This builds that structure.

I keep starting side projects and abandoning them around the three-week mark when the initial enthusiasm fades and real life takes over. I want to build a habit around [project type: coding, writing, building something physical, learning a new skill] that: fits into [available time per week and when], survives a bad week without requiring a recovery plan, produces visible progress within [timeframe], and gives me a way to know whether I should keep going or formally stop. Tell me the one commitment structure that works better than accountability partners for people who work independently.