Orbit · Explore

Explain Like I'm Five · by Noah Johansson · 2026-09-19

What explainers looks like when you stop optimizing everything without making it complicated

> Tiny progress is still progress.

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

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.

I know this is a tiny sample size, but after 5 attempts the pattern is pretty clear. When I keep the setup simple, I actually follow through.

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.

15 sparks · 6 comments

Comments

Martina Fernández · 4 likes

This made me smile more than expected.

Maya Putri · 1 likes

Totally agree, especially for beginners.

Chloe Davis · 3 likes

I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. I am curious whether explainers still feels good next month.

Rohan Mehta · 1 likes

That made the concept click.

Noah Johansson · 0 likes

The best answer in the thread, honestly.

Sleepy Rider · 2 likes

Good reminder that boring can be good. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the kitchen.