nyA
andomR
uesdayT
the margin · on making
The byproduct principle
Build the durable thing and let the test-passing be a byproduct—the way health makes a six-pack a byproduct rather than the target.
Stop shooting for the six-pack. Shoot for good health, and the six-pack shows up on its own—it's the byproduct, not the target. I kept getting this backwards at work, optimizing for the deadline instead of the thing the deadline was supposed to prove.
Chase the date and the quality drops. Rush the surface—like painting a wall without letting it prime and cure—and it looks right for a while, then it doesn't last. Build the durable thing that can stand on its own, and passing the test takes care of itself.
a thought from the margin · 3 returns · back to the room