Five Things I Wish I Knew Five Years Ago
May 11, 2026
This isn't a polished corporate post. It's not designed to look good in a portfolio or impress investors. This is something I wrote on a Tuesday night after spending way too much time staring at my desk, thinking about the things that would have made life easier if I'd known them sooner.
Five years ago was early 2021 — right before everything changed again. My setup looked different then: an older laptop, fewer projects scattered across three monitors, and less of a sense thatI needed to be everywhere at once.
"We all learn the hard way sometimes."
But there are five things I wish someone had told me back then. Five lessons learned through frustration, failure, and finally acceptance.
1. Letting Go of Perfectionism Saved Me
I used to spend hours tweaking small details on projects that nobody would ever see. A perfect angle on a 3D printed part? Check. Pixel-perfect spacing in my code? Absolutely. Every single line indented perfectly?
"Done is better than perfect."
The irony is that by chasing perfectionism, I was actuallysometimes not finishing anything at all. Those early projects would sit half-done on my desk for weeks because I wasn't satisfied with the last 10%.
I learned this when I finally published something justgood enough, and it turned out to be exactly what people wanted. Turns out, nobody cares about your perfect margins — they care that you showed up and shared something real.
"Perfectionism is procrastination in disguise."
I still struggle with this sometimes. But the antidote has been simple:ship it. Publish it. Post it. Share it. The world won't end if your work isn't flawless — and often, imperfections make you more relatable.
2. Consistency Beats Intensity Every Time
I've tried to be intense before: all-night coding sessions, marathon research sprints, 10-hour writing binges. The results? Always the same — I burn out by Tuesday and start fresh Monday.
"Consistency is the compound interest of productivity."
What changed was realizing thatsmall daily effortsadd up to something sustainable. Twenty minutes a day beats five hours once in a while any time. Three days a week beats one crazy day followed by three days of nothing.
This applies to everything: writing, coding, building projects, even cleaning my workspace. Thedaily twenty-minutesession with 3D printing helped me stay engaged with it again without the pressure of needing to complete something massive.
"You can't outrun consistency."
The hardest part? Starting small enough that you don't feel overwhelmed. I still do this now: twenty minutes at my desk, no more. Often, those twenty minutes turn into an hour or two — but the important thing is thatI showed up, and showing up consistently matters.
3. Building Things Teaches Patience (Even When You Don't Want To)
There's something magical about building physical things: you can't rush a 3D print, and you definitely can't rush an electronics project. Everything has its own timeline.
"Patience isn't waiting — it's trusting the process."
I remember my first failed electronics build. I had soldered everything perfectly, but something was wrong with my circuit design. Instead of throwing away everything and starting over (which is what perfectionism would tell me), I spent a week debugging. That week taught me more than any quick project ever could.
"Building things teaches you that some things take time."
This patience transfers to other areas: writing takes time, learning new skills takes time,genuine growth takes time. When I'm in a hurry and something isn't working immediately, I remind myself: this is just the build process. Step one: identify what's wrong. Step two: fix it. Step three: test again.
4. Collaboration Beats Solo Heroics
I used to think that being a "maker" meant doing everything yourself — coding, designing, building, documenting. The solo hero narrative is compelling in stories and marketing copy, butit's not sustainable for real work.
"Your best collaborators are people who care about better than you."
I'm part of a community now where we share code, give feedback on designs, help each other debug problems. When someone else looks at my project and says "this could be simpler," I listen instead of defending every choice I made.
"Collaboration doesn't make you weak — it makes you better."
This extends toseeking feedback: the best work comes from multiple perspectives. When I ask for input on my projects, I'm not asking people to do my work for me — I'm asking them to help me be better.
"The best solo work is often built with others in mind."
I've learned thatsharing your journeyhelps other makers too. When I post about my struggles with 3D printing, someone else finds encouragement. That's the beauty of community: we lift each other up.
5. Technology Should Serve Humans (Not The Other Way Around)
This one hit me hard when I was building AI projects and realized something:I was letting tools become my master. Instead of using technology to amplify what humans can do, I was chasing shiny new features that made life complicated.
"Technology is a tool — not a goal."
The question should always be:How does this make my life better?Not: What's the newest thing? How complex can I make it? What impresses people?
"The best technology is invisible until you need it."
This applies to AI too. I built tools that automate repetitive tasks — letting me focus on creative work instead of getting stuck in mundane stuff. That's what technology should do:serve human potential, not replace it or complicate our lives.
"When you chase complexity for its own sake, you forget why you started."
I've come back to this principle often. When I'm tempted by a complex new setup or feature, I ask:Does this serve me?If the answer is no, it doesn't matter how cool or impressive it is.
A Note On This Post
This isn't perfect. It's not polished to death like some corporate LinkedIn posts. There are moments of vulnerability here — admitting where I've struggled and learned wrong lessons. That's the point:real growth comes from honest reflection.
"Share your journey, even the messy parts."
If you're reading this and feel like you could have known some of these things sooner — I'm sorry. But maybe knowing them now helps someone else avoid the same mistakes.
And if you're just starting out:breathe. You don't need to be perfect. You don't need intensity. You don't need to do everything alone. Just show up, build things, and let technology serve your humanity.
"The best version of ourselves isn't found in the past — it's built day by day with patience, collaboration, and purpose."