Learning by Shipping: Why Small Projects Matter

I used to think only big projects were worth showing. The truth is the small builds taught me faster, because each one forced a specific problem to the surface: a messy API, a shaky data cleaning step, or a UI decision that made things worse.

Shipping small projects made me honest. When something breaks, there is nowhere to hide. Either I understand it or I do not. It also gave me the habit of finishing, which is rarer than it should be.

Those small wins stack. Each ship made the next one easier to start. I keep them visible not as trophies, but as proof that progress comes from stacked steps, not skipped ones.