Digital Garden

The spotlight effect

The spotlight in your head is permanent. The one in the room barely exists.

Be the one who prioritizes the user

Technology changes very fast, but people change very slowly. Their fears, motivations, confusion, habits, and behaviors stay surprisingly constant.

The meaning of the past

Do not let the past define you.

The bitter lesson

People are often told to pick a lane, specialize, and become one clear thing.

Success.

success isn’t something you chase. it’s not a badge. not a finish line. not a title you unlock.

Competitor analysis should be the baseline, not the North Star

If all you do is follow what competitors shipped last month, you’re not building, you’re reacting.

Nietzsche’s “Become who you are”

“Become who you are” doesn’t mean finding some hidden truth. It means becoming someone you can respect—through how you love, work, react, rest, and learn.

Designing for intent in the age of LLMs

When users don’t know what they want, your interface better know how to help them find it.

Urge Surfing

Not every urge needs a reaction. Sometimes you just ride the wave.

Keystone Habit

A keystone is the central stone at the top of an arch. It holds all the other stones in place and makes the arch strong.

Growth isn’t a strategy

Build a product people love around a vision and growth will follow.

The personalization paradox

Personalization isn’t neutral. It saves us time, but it also invisibly shapes how we spend it.

Decision making without social regulation

When no one’s watching, we act differently. That’s the power (and risk) of digital interfaces.

Deal with problems in daylight

I have a very simple rule that serves me well: Don’t think too much about your life after dinnertime.