Failed to Launch

Depending on where you’re at in life, and what kind of processes you have in place, you may dive right into the idea. Perhaps you work on it nonstop, stay up late tinkering, and overall just can’t get put it down. At some point you’ll start to add some definition and try to bring shape to the idea.

Then, all too often, you abandon the thing right before shipping.

This happens to me. A LOT. Too many times to count.

I have so many unfinished projects. I’ve always felt low-key ashamed of my inability to ship. But Joshua’s post has got me thinking. Maybe all my failed-to-launch products are not such a bad thing after all.

Truly creative work requires play. And practice. And probably some other p word to form a nice little alliterative mnemonic. Perspective, maybe? Passion? Persistence!

That project I started but never finished, two years ago (it was called Confetti and it’s such a great idea for an app)? I learned a lot! I learned what kind of designs I like, I learned that I love writing Swift and native apps, I learned how to structure a SwiftUI project, and so much more.

The other project that I started (and fully intend to continue as soon as I can find the time and it’s also such a great idea for an app) lead me down more design pathways, had me exploring other apps and forming opinions on how things should work, and introduced me to various advanced Swift concepts.

Every time I pick up a new idea, I get better. Steps along the path of my learning journey.

I truly believe that the best way to learn is to do. Following a tutorial is one thing. Having an end-state outcome in mind and striving to make it work, well that’s another thing entirely. The former leaves you with a cloned example project. The latter leaves you with hard won neural pathways forged into your brain. You’ll remember the information longer, and building on related ideas and skills will come more naturally.

All that said, it’s probably time to re-read Amy Hoy’s JFS.