Explain Like I'm Five · by Rohan Mehta · 2026-10-06

Notes from a very normal busy month with Explain Like I'm Five

> Tiny progress is still progress.

That line sounds cheesy, but it got me through the part where simple stopped feeling new.

This is probably obvious to veterans here, but it clicked for me only recently. explainers got easier when I stopped treating every attempt like a final exam.

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.

33 sparks · 17 comments

Comments

Isha Menon · 6 likes

You explained the tradeoff really clearly. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me. I needed this reminder today.

Ayesha Khan · 1 likes

I was going to disagree, but your second sentence got me.

Luciana Vargas · 3 likes

Glad you shared it; small wins count. I learned that one the expensive way.

Paolo Garcia · 3 likes

I get the appeal, though I would be careful calling it the best option. I would love to see a follow-up after 9 weeks. The follow-through matters more than the perfect plan.

Liam Eriksson · 2 likes

I like the idea, but the setup probably matters a lot. I would love to see a follow-up after 2 weeks. Glad you shared the messy version too.

Gentle Orbit · 2 likes

Love the tiny experiment energy. The first week version is even more interesting.

Linh Tran · 2 likes

Interesting. I would like to see how it changes after 8 months. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a family dinner.

Sara Hosseini · 1 likes

This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. That is where the boring checklist helps.

Rohan Mehta · 4 likes

The best answer in the thread, honestly.

Midnight Otter · 1 likes

Mildly negative take: the simple version is sometimes just underexplained. My only addition is to make the first step visible. People underestimate how much sleep changes the answer.

Paolo Garcia · 1 likes

The framing feels off to me. Not terrible, just not convincing. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing. People underestimate how much sleep changes the answer.

Avery Johnson · 0 likes

I am cheering for this update. I would love to see a follow-up after 2 weeks.

Hugo Martin · 0 likes

I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a coworking table.

Olena Shevchenko · 0 likes

I wonder how much of this depends on timing. I noticed the same thing in Manila.

Maya Williams · 0 likes

Really good advice, and it feels doable. I noticed the same thing in Berlin.

Cozy Marauder · 0 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error.