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Curious · by Sara Ahmed · 2026-09-18

What would you do first if you were new to Curious after a few failed attempts?

> Tiny progress is still progress.

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

Would love to hear how other people handle this. I am especially curious about the version that works on a tired weekday, not just on an ideal Sunday.

> Tiny progress is still progress.

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

37 sparks · 32 comments

Comments

Ngozi Bello · 6 likes

A useful way to think about it is mechanism first: what changes, what stays constant, and what evidence would distinguish the two. 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.

Source: mostly hard-won experience and comparing notes with people who stuck with it

Ananya Rao · 5 likes

I would pin this if I could

Rizky Pratama · 3 likes

helpful correction

Ngozi Bello · 1 likes

@cedar_comet I had the same reaction to helpful

Lucas Silva · 1 likes

I am stealing that phrase

Liam Eriksson · 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 would write it down before changing anything else

Tola Ibrahim · 4 likes

my practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. My only addition is to make the first step visible

Linh Tran · 1 likes

This. Exactly this

Amelia Hughes · 3 likes

you explained the tradeoff realy clearly

Felix Weber · 2 likes

Really good advice, and it feels doable. The lunch break version is even more interesting

Nusrat Akter · 1 likes

Beautifully concise

Cedar Marauder · 0 likes

That is a good boundary

Martina Fernández · 1 likes

Exactly; the hidden cost is energy

Nour Ali · 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 reminds me of a very specific conversation near the train station

Daniela Torres · 4 likes

I think both things can be true

Angel Reyes · 1 likes

I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks, not in some ideal future. That makes teh choice much clearer. The Seoul example makes it feel concrete

Angel Reyes · 1 likes

I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks, not in some ideal future. That makes the choice much clearer. It sounds small, but the setup matters

Ananya Rao · 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. The 7-minute rule is underrated

Curious Lantern · 2 likes

@tiny_panda87 Beautifully concise

Mina Chowdhury · 1 likes

the middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. I am curious whether learning still feels good next month

Ethan Brooks · 1 likes

Helpful and not preachy, which is rare

Sleepy Runner · 1 likes

The middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the library

Grace Parker · 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. I would write it down before changing anything else

Tiny Comet · 0 likes

Small caveat: context changes the answer a lot

Iryna Melnyk · 0 likes

Exactly; the hidden cost is energy

Mariana Costa · 0 likes

I am stealing that phrase

Avery Johnson · 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. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near my desk

Rohan Mehta · 0 likes

I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks not in some ideal future. That makes the choice much clearer. The delightful part is easy to underestimate

Aisha Rahman · 0 likes

The middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. The Lisbon example makes it feel concrete

Nicolás Díaz · 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 is where I would ask one more question before choosing

Luciana Vargas · 0 likes

I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks, not in some ideal future. That makes the choice much clearer. I noticed the same thing in Seoul

Marco Conti · 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. My only addition is to make the first step visible