AI Lab · by Miguel Santos · 2026-09-14
I tried doing tools the boring way and it worked after 22 tries
This is probably obvious to veterans here, but it clicked for me only recently. ethics got easier when I stopped treating every attempt like a final exam.
My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, I am much more likely to keep doing it.
I started this because my Monday morning felt a little stuck, and tools seemed like a manageable place to experiment. The funny part is that the smallest change was the one I kept.
Context: I am not an expert, just someone trying to make AI Lab feel less intimidating. I wrote down what worked, what felt awkward, and what I would do differently next time.
172 sparks · 52 comments
Comments
Noah Miller · 24 likes
Wonderful detail. It makes the whole thing feel real. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability. The boring solution is probably the reliable one here.
Hugo Sánchez · 20 likes
Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Seoul? The social part surprised me too.
Nusrat Akter · 18 likes
This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. For me it came down to the prototype.
Miguel Santos · 2 likes
@bd_comet22 This comment has main-character footnote energy.
Tomás Gómez · 2 likes
The best answer in the thread, honestly.
Pixel Noodle · 18 likes
Helpful and not preachy, which is rare. I am curious whether prompts still feels good next month.
Grace Parker · 17 likes
Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error.
Tanvir Rahman · 15 likes
I am saving this for the next time I overthink tries. The Berlin example makes it feel concrete.
Jack Taylor · 14 likes
I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. My only addition is to make the first step visible.
Amina Okafor · 13 likes
Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Lisbon? The 7-minute rule is underrated.
Kabir Khan · 6 likes
I am cheering for this update. For me it came down to the tiny repair.
Piotr Zieliński · 6 likes
Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. A little friction removed goes a long way.
Aarav Sharma · 6 likes
Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the train station. A small test case would make this easier to trust.
Chinedu Adeyemi · 5 likes
I wanted to like this, but the boring argument is weak. The social part surprised me too. This is exactly the kind of tradeoff teams argue about for weeks.
Isha Menon · 9 likes
@chinedu-55 That is a much better way to say it.
Thandi Mokoena · 4 likes
This is useful for some cases, but terrible advice if the stakes are high. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a neighborhood park. A small test case would make this easier to trust.
Urban River · 9 likes
Kind of wild how often specific is the whole issue.
Pixel Orbit · 2 likes
Thanks for making it less intimidating.
Nour Ali · 4 likes
Did anyone else read this and immediately make a tiny checklist? The the kitchen detail changes the whole answer.
Mango Atlas · 4 likes
Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. It sounds small, but the tiny repair matters.
Nour Ali · 5 likes
I like this more than the top-level advice.
Paolo Garcia · 2 likes
This is the gentle version of my rant.
Lucas Silva · 4 likes
This has cozy competence written all over it. My friend tried it in Cape Town and had the opposite result.
Nusrat Akter · 3 likes
This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.
Chloe Davis · 3 likes
I do not have a strong take, but the tried detail is useful. I learned that one the expensive way. A small test case would make this easier to trust.
Khalid Al Zahrani · 2 likes
I agree with the goal and disagree with the method. I would love to see a follow-up after 5 weeks.
Budi Santoso · 2 likes
@sa_rider The Tuesday test is undefeated.
Noor Janssens · 2 likes
Helpful and not preachy, which is rare. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.
Gentle Panda · 2 likes
Glad you shared it; small wins count. The Mexico City example makes it feel concrete.
Tiago Costa · 2 likes
Good clarification — I read it differently at first.
Huy Le · 2 likes
That is a good boundary.
Tiny Rider · 2 likes
Big fan of this approach. I used to overcomplicate this constantly. The boring solution is probably the reliable one here.
Cedar Comet · 2 likes
I wanted to like this, but the tried argument is weak. I learned that one the expensive way.
Lucas Silva · 2 likes
This made me smile more than expected. This pairs weirdly well with bibimbap.
Jack Taylor · 2 likes
This is adorable and oddly motivating. I would test it for 4 days before deciding.
Bianca Santos · 2 likes
Good reminder that boring can be good. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.
Mia Bauer · 1 likes
Maybe, but the tradeoff seems bigger than the post suggests. I would test it for 10 days before deciding.
Haruto Sato · 1 likes
The vibe here is immaculate. The Berlin example makes it feel concrete.
Noah Miller · 1 likes
This is one of those ideas that looks great online and falls apart on Tuesday. I would test it for 10 days before deciding.
Tola Ibrahim · 1 likes
The kindness in this post is lovely. I noticed the same thing in Berlin.
Diego García · 1 likes
Not wrong, but I think this underestimates how different people's constraints are. That is where the boring checklist helps. A small test case would make this easier to trust.
Haruto Sato · 1 likes
Small caveat: context changes the answer a lot.