Explain Like I'm Five · by Noé Petit · 2026-09-02
How do you know when to stop tweaking explainers as a beginner?
My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 3 minutes to prepare, I am much more likely to keep doing it.
44 sparks · 5 comments
Comments
Faisal Al Saud · 4 likes
Yes, but I would approach it in a small, testable way rather than trying to solve everything at once. The trap is trying to optimize before you have feedback.
- Start small and make the next step obvious.
- Keep notes so you can compare what worked.
- Ask someone with recent experience, not just strong opinions.
Source: mostly hard-won experience and comparing notes with people who stuck with it.
Nima Ahmadi · 2 likes
My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. My only addition is to make the first step visible.
Silver River · 3 likes
@runnerRunner21 Noted, and thank you.
Noé Petit · 1 likes
That is a good boundary.
Maya Williams · 1 likes
My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. I used to overcomplicate this constantly.