AI Lab · by Mia Bauer · 2026-09-26
A tiny win from Melbourne that made my week after a tiny failure
My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 7 minutes to prepare, I am much more likely to keep doing it.
A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat
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.
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.
151 sparks · 24 comments
Comments
Luca Bianchi · 11 likes
The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. I noticed the same thing in Jakarta. Good reminder that tools should serve people, not the reverse.
[deleted] · 2 likes
Yep, the boring details matter.
Beatriz Sousa · 6 likes
This is adorable and oddly motivating. I would love to see a follow-up after 2 weeks.
Cian Kelly · 20 likes
I like this more than the top-level advice.
Rafael Almeida · 7 likes
Small caveat: context changes the answer a lot.
Pixel Otter · 1 likes
Totally agree, especially for beginners.
Mia Bauer · 2 likes
Anecdote beats theory here.
Mia Bauer · 4 likes
Yep, the boring details matter.
Noah Miller · 1 likes
I needed the reminder to start smaller.
Arif Hasan · 1 likes
@eg_runner Respectfully, I see it the other way.
Haruto Sato · 6 likes
This sounds good, but in practice it can be a bad idea without more context. This pairs weirdly well with pasta.
Nour Ali · 5 likes
Anecdotally, this tracks with what I have seen. I learned that one the expensive way. Naming things remains undefeated as the hardest problem.
Noah Miller · 3 likes
I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. I would test it for 5 days before deciding.
Aarav Sharma · 1 likes
I like this more than the top-level advice.
Camila Soto · 3 likes
Love the tiny experiment energy. For me it came down to the setup.
[deleted] · 2 likes
I do not have a strong take, but the tiny detail is useful. The beautiful constraint is probably the real story.
Rizky Pratama · 2 likes
This is adorable and oddly motivating. The chaotic part is easy to underestimate.
Gentle Lantern · 2 likes
This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a trailhead.
Noah Campbell · 1 likes
Mildly negative take: the simple version is sometimes just underexplained. I used to overcomplicate this constantly.