I don’t remember which book
I got idea from but idea is to work in different modes. When you work as programmer then there are no deadlines and etc. So sometimes you have to put different hat, e.g. CEO hat. It took several months to work out but overall result is reasonably good.
On finishing projects
11–20 of 103 posts
Re: On finishing projects
#12I sometimes battle perfectionism for various reasons. Someone pointed out that it can’t be perfect if it isn’t even finished, so why not add “done” to what it means to be “perfect.” Somehow that tweaked my perspective in a helpful way. Edit: on reflection, possibly because it doesn’t imply a compromise of my standards, but actually strengthens them, so I don’t have the feeling of giving up or giving less.
Also very much believe in doing some kind of planning, any kind being better than none at all. Otherwise you put yourself in a tunnel but you don’t give yourself a light at the end. The plan can change and it will, but if you have none, you might end up digging forever
Re: On finishing projects
#13I needed this. I have so many half-finished projects, it’s nice to think that there’s still a way to make them valuable in some way.
Re: On finishing projects
#14Always glad to see articles discussing an emotional side of software development (:
I do disagree with this claim (though later points temper it a bit):
Why is it important to share your work with the world? First, because
there's practically no downside, and very, very high potential upside.
The "why is it important..." question is really critical to motivation, at least for me. A person should give that question honest thought and an answer that rings true to them.
I agree about the therapeutic aspect of putting things out into the public.
Though I don't plan to publicly share all of these proactively, just
knowing that they're publicly viewable helps give me a stronger sense
of accountability. I'm curious if it will make a difference.
Also, apropos of nothing, this article made me think of the (mis-)quote:
We do these things not because they are easy, but because we thought they would be easy!
Re: On finishing projects
#15I resonate strongly with this. I found something pretty simple thats been helping me lately though. I uhh, i just force myself to keep working on it until its done. Grind it out. Work on it especially when i dont want to. Ditch those little relaxing moments for it. Wake up early to find time for it. Its torture. And also therapeutic. I see the incompleteness of my original idea, or plan. I see that the things i decla…
> I start making more realistic plans and exit points because im not a masochist.
Or, you start to enjoy the pain, because you enjoy the result. But then your mind does its illogical associative thing and you start to just enjoy the pain on its own. Now you're a masochist!
I jest, but only some. Ask me how I know ...
Re: On finishing projects
#16I had a teacher once, at a training seminar, that kept repeating the phrase "We need to know what 'done' looks like." "Done" is often a compromise. There's more that can be added, there's still burrs and "rough spots," but we need to declare it ready to go out the door, and be prepared to fully support our release. I've been shipping software for my entire adult life, and have had to embrace this philosophy. Just the…
> agita
Interesting word, thank you!
Re: On finishing projects
#17Always glad to see articles discussing an emotional side of software development (: I do disagree with this claim (though later points temper it a bit): Why is it important to share your work with the world? First, because there's practically no downside, and very, very high potential upside. There is a big downside: as the author states, finishing/releasing is hard and time-consuming. You only get one life. Every ho…
You cite this part of the article,
> Why is it important to share your work with the world? First, because there's practically no downside, and very, very high potential upside.
And say,
> There is a big downside: as the author states, finishing/releasing is hard and time-consuming. You only get one life. Every hour spent doing that stuff you won't get back
Working in public (or working at least from the assumption it will soon be made public), is something folks should try really hard to get into. It should be a default expectation for yourself. The cost is mostly mindshift!
Once you can change your default position, it no longer feels like a cost to work in public. Every action brings release.
Re: On finishing projects
#18There was a post on HN recently about building software for yourself - forget the possible audience of millions. If you focus on yourself as the end user then the whole thing becomes easier.
I couldn't find it after a brief search. Maybe someone else remembers it.
Re: On finishing projects
#19I genuinely consider two of my greatest accomplishments to be building a game and composing a song.
Neither are very impressive, but in both cases, I ended up having to simply decide I was done and stop working on them. I could continue making changes indefinitely, adding little improvements and such every day, but they were also complete as they were. Once I learned to be okay with that and move on, I learned what finishing a project really meant (or at least one form of it).
Re: On finishing projects
#20I had a teacher once, at a training seminar, that kept repeating the phrase "We need to know what 'done' looks like." "Done" is often a compromise. There's more that can be added, there's still burrs and "rough spots," but we need to declare it ready to go out the door, and be prepared to fully support our release. I've been shipping software for my entire adult life, and have had to embrace this philosophy. Just the…
> agita Interesting word, thank you!
Lots of folks of Italian ancestry, around here.
I hear the word used, often.