Programming · by Lucas Dubois · 2026-08-31

A tiny story about idli, Istanbul and timing in Toronto

My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 5 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

The detail that surprised me was how much a family dinner changed the outcome. Same plan, different setting, completely different energy.

I know this is a tiny sample size, but after 4 attempts the pattern is pretty clear. When I keep the setup simple, I actually follow through.

86 sparks · 6 comments

Comments

Minh Nguyen · 7 likes

This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the train station. Naming things remains undefeated as the hardest problem.

Mango Fern · 9 likes

I like this more than the top-level advice.

Lucas Dubois · 0 likes

The Tuesday test is undefeated.

Lina Al Harbi · 3 likes

What would you change if you started over? It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a coworking table.

Youssef Mahmoud · 1 likes

Appreciate the nuance.

Ren Suzuki · 1 likes

I would push back gently on the istanbul part. The cozy part is easy to underestimate.