Open Source · by Tanvir Rahman · 2026-09-28
The delightful joy of doing the recipe badly at first in real life
This is probably obvious to veterans here, but it clicked for me only recently. github got easier when I stopped treating every attempt like a final exam.
My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 8 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 tried this in Jakarta with a friend and we both noticed the same thing: the social part mattered more than the perfect plan.
271 sparks · 47 comments
Comments
Lena Müller · 52 likes
Good reminder that boring can be good. I would write it down before changing anything else.
Cedar Coder · 35 likes
What happened after the first week? I am curious whether recipe stayed easy. This is more useful on a tired Monday morning than on a perfect day.
Silver Noodle · 8 likes
@cedarbakes This comment has main-character footnote energy.
Kabir Khan · 28 likes
This feels a little overrated to me, even if the intention is good. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error.
Ananya Rao · 21 likes
I think the bad version of this advice causes a lot of frustration. This pairs weirdly well with jollof rice. Naming things remains undefeated as the hardest problem.
Grace Parker · 1 likes
I was going to disagree, but your second sentence got me.
Amelia Hughes · 14 likes
The vibe here is immaculate. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.
Beatriz Sousa · 11 likes
Big fan of this approach. The useful part is easy to underestimate.
Rohan Mehta · 10 likes
I wish more posts had this much context. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error. This is exactly the kind of tradeoff teams argue about for weeks.
Hana Choi · 22 likes
I needed the reminder to start smaller.
Solar Runner · 3 likes
This is the gentle version of my rant.
Ethan Brooks · 2 likes
Thanks for making it less intimidating.
Amelia Hughes · 10 likes
Fair point, but I had the opposite experience. My friend tried it in Dublin and had the opposite result.
Beatriz Sousa · 9 likes
My version of this was messier, but the conclusion was similar. It sounds small, but the route matters. Good reminder that tools should serve people, not the reverse.
Maya Williams · 8 likes
This made me smile more than expected. The 3-minute rule is underrated. I would love to see the benchmark numbers.
Maya Williams · 4 likes
Small caveat: context changes the answer a lot.
Mateo Cruz · 8 likes
That last line is excellent. The practical constraint is probably the real story.
Noah Johansson · 6 likes
Can you share what you tried before this? I am curious whether github still feels good next month.
Paolo Garcia · 5 likes
I am cheering for this update. The 8-minute rule is underrated.
Aisha Rahman · 9 likes
That is fair, but I still worry about maintenance.
Jiho Lee · 5 likes
This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. This is more useful on a tired late summer than on a perfect day. I would love to see the benchmark numbers.
Rizky Pratama · 4 likes
The kindness in this post is lovely. Good reminder that tools should serve people, not the reverse.
Ethan Brooks · 6 likes
I like this more than the top-level advice.
Cozy Fern · 2 likes
This is the kind of disagreement I like.
Hana Choi · 1 likes
That made the concept click.
Lucía García · 3 likes
This feels a little overrated to me, even if the intention is good. I would test it for 5 days before deciding.
Minh Nguyen · 4 likes
Small caveat: context changes the answer a lot.
Tanvir Rahman · 3 likes
I was going to disagree, but your second sentence got me.
Amelia Hughes · 2 likes
My version of this was messier, but the conclusion was similar. For me it came down to the routine.
Aisha Jacobs · 2 likes
There is a hidden assumption here that not everyone shares. This pairs weirdly well with bibimbap.
Aarav Sharma · 2 likes
I do not have a strong take, but the badly detail is useful. The low-effort version is probably the keeper. Good reminder that tools should serve people, not the reverse.
Avery Johnson · 1 likes
The vibe here is immaculate. A small test case would make this easier to trust.
Maya Williams · 1 likes
Honestly, great taste. For me it came down to the routine.
An Pham · 1 likes
Great point, especially the part about delightful.
Piotr Zieliński · 1 likes
The framing feels off to me. Not terrible, just not convincing. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.
Valeria López · 1 likes
Helpful and not preachy, which is rare. For me it came down to the tiny repair.
Solar Lantern · 1 likes
My version of this was messier, but the conclusion was similar. The beautiful part is easy to underestimate.
Ruby Wilson · 0 likes
The vibe here is immaculate. The Cape Town example makes it feel concrete.