https://www.adamtal.me/2019/05/first-make-the-change-easy-then-make-the-easy-change

 
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Adam Tal

 
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Adam Tal

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Working on ConfirmKit.com; a user research and customer development
platform.

Previously

Software development consulting.
Worked at a few startups, at a couple SMBs, and some larger
organizations.

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health, productivity, work, product, marketing

First make the change easy, then make the easy change

This quote is from Kent Beck, a software developer and the creator of
the extreme programming methodology.

Refactoring code can be a challenge. Software projects tend to grow
with time. If left unchecked they can become unruly and hard to
reason about. Spaghetti code is a term that's never too far from such
a mess.

In a way, this quote is saying "first do what you should have always
been doing; being organized" and "then do what you came here to do in
the first place (add a feature, fix a bug)."

Although the context here is software development, the spirit of the
quote can be applied elsewhere. When I find myself stuck between
differing choices I have to make, I'll refer to this quote. I'll ask
myself "why is the decision difficult to make?" Inevitably it is
because my thoughts are not organized and I am not adequately
informed to feel comfortable with any decision.

I then take the time to do the work I should have done. After that,
the decision tends to be much easier.

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