Writing · by Rohan Mehta · 2026-10-02
The surprising joy of doing the prototype badly at first for absolute beginners
My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 4 minutes to prepare, I am much more likely to keep doing it.
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.
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.
79 sparks · 25 comments
Comments
Grace Parker · 12 likes
I like the idea, but the setup probably matters a lot.
Curious River · 10 likes
Wonderful detail. It makes the whole thing feel real. It sounds small, but the route matters.
Curious River · 6 likes
I wonder how much of this depends on timing. For me it came down to the setup. Process photos would be fun to see.
Khalid Al Zahrani · 5 likes
Good reminder that boring can be good. That is where the boring checklist helps.
Pixel Fern · 10 likes
I am curious what changed your mind.
Aisha Jacobs · 5 likes
I wish more posts had this much context.
Tomás Gómez · 5 likes
Big fan of this approach. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.
Rohan Mehta · 3 likes
Fair point, but I had the opposite experience.
Jonas Schneider · 2 likes
Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Cairo? The 9-minute rule is underrated. Great use of light and restraint.
Silver Fern · 2 likes
Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Berlin? The the train station detail changes the whole answer.
Tola Ibrahim · 1 likes
Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Lisbon? The practical constraint is probably the real story. I like that it feels lived-in instead of over-polished.
Cedar Otter · 1 likes
This depends heavily on budget, time and personality. The messy constraint is probably the real story. The small imperfections make it feel human.
Miguel Santos · 5 likes
That is fair, but I still worry about maintenance.
Linh Tran · 0 likes
That is a much better way to say it.
Lotte Jansen · 1 likes
This feels like advice from a patient friend. My only addition is to make the first step visible. Process photos would be fun to see.
Curious River · 1 likes
The absolute angle is what sold me. The social part surprised me too.
Chinedu Adeyemi · 1 likes
This made me smile more than expected. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing. Process photos would be fun to see.
Lucas Silva · 0 likes
Helpful and not preachy, which is rare. This pairs weirdly well with banana bread.