optimize and constrain.
As a first-time builder, I'm trying to actively act before I think. The common story of 'Break things fast' just loops in my head. And it does sound good. With each 'tab' and cmd+k that I keep hitting on cursor, I see my product unfold right between my eyes.
But you see, that's the catch. It's a repeated spiral. With each iteration, I add yet another clunky, half-baked feature that I think my customers would love. With each iteration, I add another design element that just does not seem adaptive for mobile.
And like this, every v4,v5,v6 I develop reduces less into a product and more into an ego rush. This is where we optimize and constrain.
Optimizations and constraints, I'd argue, are the north-star builders. And trust me, they complement each other perfectly. For example, here's my thumb rule for building: 'Optimize for user satisfaction, constrain for budget.'
It's bizarre, and trust me I know.
The idea behind my rule is to set upper bounds for optimization while not compromising on quality. This rule of thumb allows me to develop a feature rollout that,
a) is limited in scope but targeted in application, b) preserving runway for blitzkrieg days. c) optimize user benefit while constraining my ego.
A monetary constraint allows me to not eat my product from within while restricting my ego to purely my skill. How do I build more with less? That requires innovation. That requires thought.
The problem with most builders, including myself is simply this -
We're always thinking about 0 to 100, and in the meantime forget 0 to 1.