Side projects are where I learn the most. No stakeholders, no deadlines, no compromises—just curiosity and a blank canvas.
Permission to play
The best side projects start without a plan. You follow a thread of curiosity and see where it leads. Some become products. Most become lessons. All are valuable.
Finishing versus learning
Not every project needs to ship. Sometimes the goal is to understand a technology, explore a design direction, or simply enjoy the craft. The value is in the doing, not the deploying.
My rules
- No pressure—if it stops being fun, stop doing it
- Share early—put work in progress out there, imperfections and all
- Follow energy—work on whatever excites you most right now