I, ssk4988, just barely managed to become a GM in Codeforces Round 1004 (Div. 1). It wasn't due to SpeedForces, so that's cool. I've been aiming to become a GM for a while now. Check out this list of goals I made back in August 2023 when I became a Master:

... It didn't go according to plan. I got lucky to break 2200 in April 2024 (way after Winter 2023), and got to 2300 by the end of August 2024. This is just at the edge of the end of Summer 2024 when I had set the goal of becoming a GM. Then I obliterated 8 months of progress in 2 contests and I thought I was never going to make it. I'm still not sure what changed for me but I locked in and was able to start performing like a GM for a few contests (though I still tanked in between).

So I'm here, 6 months after my original goal, but I'm just happy to have done it.

Some things that helped me:

1. Solving harder-rated problems (think 2400-2600) and trying to do this in a short amount of time. Surprise surprise, practicing hard problems makes you better.

2. ThemeCP. I didn't do it for that long or that many times, but I think it's a great strategy for daily practice and I genuinely thought I was getting better for the short time when I was doing it. It's just a little difficult to sustain.

3. Only a few (100) 2400s...