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Gaming · by Maja Wiśniewska · 2026-09-10

How do you get better at indie without burning out without overthinking it?

> Tiny progress is still progress.

That line sounds cheesy, but it got me through the part where indie stopped feeling new.

A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat

126 sparks · 67 comments

Comments

Valeria López · 56 likes

Yes, but I would approach it in a small, testable way rather than trying to solve everything at once. The trap is trying to optimize before you have feedback.

- Start small and make the next step obvious.
- Keep notes so you can compare what worked.
- Ask someone with recent experience, not just strong opinions.

Come back with what happened; the details will make the next answer better

Sara Ahmed · 1 likes

I needed the reminder to start smaller

Ananya Rao · 32 likes

I am cheering for this update. The 3-minute rule is underrated

Angel Reyes · 30 likes

My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. I would love to see a follow-up after 6 weeks

Ethan Brooks · 23 likes

I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks, not in some ideal future. That makes the choice much clearer. The busy month version is even more interesting

Valeria Flores · 1 likes

anecdote beats theory here

Hana Choi · 12 likes

my practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. That is where the boring checklist helps

Ethan Brooks · 2 likes

my wallet felt that

Sophie Gagnon · 1 likes

Kind of wild how often tiny is the whole issue

Valeria López · 1 likes

my wallet felt that

Quiet Fern · 12 likes

The middle path is probly best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. The the library detail changes the whole answer

An Pham · 10 likes

My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. I would love to see a follow-up after 9 weeks

Mateo Cruz · 8 likes

I am saving this for the next time I overthink without. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error

Martina Fernández · 7 likes

the middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. My friend tried it in Melbourne and had the opposite result

Kabir Khan · 7 likes

My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. The social part surprised me too

Noah Miller · 4 likes

anecdote beats theory here

Maja Wiśniewska · 2 likes

Respectfully, I see it the other way

Budi Santoso · 7 likes

I had a similar experience, but my problem was consistency rather than motivation. I noticed the same thing in Dublin

Haruto Sato · 5 likes

My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. I keep a note about indie for exactly this reason

Noah Campbell · 5 likes

I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks, not in some ideal future. That makes the choice much clearer. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing

Mia Anderson · 5 likes

The middle path is probably best: try it cheaply keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error

Ren Suzuki · 5 likes

My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. The Warsaw example makes it feel concrete

Urban River · 4 likes

Yes, but I would approach it in a small, testable way rather than trying to solve everything at once. Most people skip the boring setup, but that setup is what makes the good habit survive a busy week.

- Start small and make the next step obvious.
- Keep notes so you can compare what worked.
- Ask someone with recent experience, not just strong opinions.

That should give you a solid first pass

Brave Otter · 31 likes

yep, the boring details matter

Maja Wiśniewska · 8 likes

that is fair, but I still worry about maintenance

Liam Wilson · 8 likes

Same here. It took me too long to learn

Sara Ahmed · 4 likes

my wallet felt that

Iryna Melnyk · 3 likes

I needed the reminder to start smaller

Pixel Otter · 2 likes

noted, and thank you

Thandi Mokoena · 1 likes

I laughed, but you are not wrong

Avery Johnson · 4 likes

Beautifully concise

Maja Wiśniewska · 4 likes

helpful correction

Irene López · 4 likes

@riverNomad89 Exactly; the hidden cost is energy

Martina Fernández · 4 likes

the middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. For me it came down to the first draft

Liam Eriksson · 1 likes

@midnight_martina Short answer: yes. Long answer: also yes

Ananya Rao · 4 likes

what would you change if you started over? I am curious whether multiplayer still feels good next month

Camila Soto · 3 likes

I would push back gently on the burning part. I learned that one the expensive way

Rapid River · 9 likes

Can you expand on that a bit?

Maya Williams · 8 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like

Maja Wiśniewska · 8 likes

Appreciate the nuance

Olena Shevchenko · 4 likes

I am curious what changed your mind

Ayesha Khan · 4 likes

yep, the boring details matter

Olena Shevchenko · 1 likes

yep, the boring details matter

Bianca Santos · 2 likes

That is a much better way to say it

Midnight Atlas · 3 likes

I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks, not in some ideal future. That makes the choice much clearer. I learned that one the expensive way

Ngozi Bello · 3 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. It sounds small, but the recipe matters

Haruto Sato · 3 likes

I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks, not in some ideal future. That makes the choice much clearer. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the train station

Chinedu Adeyemi · 3 likes

Amazing how much difference one small change can make

Hugo Martin · 3 likes

The middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. A little friction removed goes a long way

Elif Yılmaz · 2 likes

my practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. For me it came down to the route

Mango Noodle · 2 likes

my practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. That is where the boring checklist helps

Sleepy Orbit · 2 likes

My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. It sounds small, but the route matters

Irene López · 0 likes

@sleepy-43 The best answer in the thread, honestly

Avery Johnson · 2 likes

I get the appeal, though I would be careful calling it the best option. I learned that one the expensive way

Amelia Hughes · 1 likes

Did anyone else read this and immediately make a tiny checklist?

Kabir Khan · 2 likes

@quiet_amelia72 That is a good boundary

Kabir Khan · 1 likes

I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks, not in some ideal future. That makes the choice much clearer. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing

Isha Menon · 1 likes

My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. That is the kind of detail beginners miss

Tola Ibrahim · 1 likes

My version of this was messier, but the conclusion was similar. This is more useful on a tired Monday morning than on a perfect day. The real boss fight is finding a night everyone is free

Curious Baker · 1 likes

this is useful for some cases, but terrible advice if the stakes are high. I would test it for 4 days before deciding

Maya Putri · 1 likes

This is adorable and oddly motivating. I keep a note about indie for exactly this reason

Mariam Said · 6 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like

Theo Bennett · 0 likes

Beautifully concise

Nour Ali · 1 likes

I am saving this for the next time I overthink overthinking. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability. This is why house rules need a constitution

Valeria López · 1 likes

My practical advice is to make teh next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half teh question. I noticed teh same thing in Melbourne

Quiet Lantern · 0 likes

Amazing how much difference one small change can make. I am curious whether pc still feels good next month

Mariam Said · 0 likes

my practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. This would of saved me a lot of trial and error