Things that went wrong before they went right. Real progress is usually paid for in mistakes — here are four takeaways from building, shipping, and iterating.
Started web dev by copying instructor code line-by-line, never building anything on my own after. Wasted months thinking I was learning, when I was really just transcribing.
watching isn't learning. Build something yourself, even badly, before moving to the next video.
Tried improving the architecture while migrating components 1:1 at the same time. Broke things in ways I couldn't easily bisect or roll back.
port first, improve second. Never both at once.
Took visual cues from someone else's site and, without realizing how far it drifted, ended up with something people read as a copy, not an homage.
inspiration needs its own execution, not borrowed execution with different colors.
Dismissed early reviews instead of taking them seriously, assuming I already knew best. Everything changed the moment I started listening — but only to people with real experience in the area, not just anyone with an opinion.
seek feedback from people who've actually done the thing. Take it seriously. Filter the source, not the act of listening.