Funny · by Finn Brown · 2026-09-21

I tried doing silly the boring way and it worked in real life

Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the prototype for a while.

I started this because my commute felt a little stuck, and silly seemed like a manageable place to experiment. The funny part is that the smallest change was the one I kept.

I tried this in São Paulo with a friend and we both noticed the same thing: the social part mattered more than the perfect plan.

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

83 sparks · 23 comments

Comments

Minh Nguyen · 24 likes

This has cozy competence written all over it. I would love to see a follow-up after 6 weeks.

Jiho Lee · 12 likes

What would you change if you started over? I would love to see a follow-up after 6 weeks.

Rohan Mehta · 12 likes

That last line is excellent. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.

Priya Nair · 27 likes

Beautifully concise.

Mateo Cruz · 8 likes

This feels a little overrated to me, even if the intention is good. That is where the boring checklist helps.

Grace Parker · 1 likes

I would pin this if I could.

Sanne de Vries · 7 likes

I think the bad version of this advice causes a lot of frustration. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the kitchen.

Aarav Sharma · 7 likes

This has cozy competence written all over it. This pairs weirdly well with falafel.

Jonas Schneider · 2 likes

You just saved me a bad purchase.

Maja Wiśniewska · 5 likes

Honestly, great taste. I noticed the same thing in São Paulo.

Sofía Hernández · 4 likes

I get the appeal, though I would be careful calling it the best option. The 4-minute rule is underrated.

Rohan Mehta · 2 likes

This made me smile more than expected. My friend tried it in Cape Town and had the opposite result. This is kinder advice than most of the internet manages.

Finn Brown · 1 likes

I would love a follow-up example.

Silver Fern · 1 likes

Really good advice, and it feels doable.

Emma Tremblay · 5 likes

Respectfully, I see it the other way.

Thandi Mokoena · 1 likes

Love the tiny experiment energy. A little friction removed goes a long way.

Ethan Brooks · 1 likes

Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. This pairs weirdly well with bibimbap.

Tiny Atlas · 1 likes

This feels like advice from a patient friend. This is more useful on a tired rainy evening than on a perfect day.