Stop polishing, start shipping


Beyond the Latitude

Creative life beyond default settings

September 8, 2025

Hey Reader,

I am halfway through the RevenueCat's Hackathon, but for me it feels like it's already over—at least code-wise.

Normally I'd spend more time polishing my app.

Instead, this situation reminded me of the pottery parable and how the best way to move forward is by putting your work out there.

I think you’ll enjoy the parable too,
Jorge

READ ESSAY ON THE WEB

🏺 The Pottery Parable

What’s the “thing” you cannot stop thinking about that you are passionately hoping to achieve someday?

As a recovering perfectionist, I know the urge to carefully plan everything. But after many years I realized the perfect time is never coming.

Today I am close to shipping my first iOS app, publishing YouTube videos, and writing a newsletter. All things I never felt ready to do.

A pottery teacher split his class into two groups.

For 30 days, Group A had to make one pot every day, 30 in total.

Group B had to spend all 30 days working on one perfect pot.

30 days went by, and the pottery teacher judged the quality of the pots.

The 10 best pots came from Group A.

By practicing daily, Group A learned and improved, while Group B kept polishing without real progress.

Quality comes from quantity.

Fear and imperfection

We need to accept that our first attempts won’t be good enough.

Once I gave myself permission to ship imperfect work, I started learning a lot and the fear vanished.

The key is to build a system that makes shipping sustainable and stick to it.

Software as pottery

We think that our first app needs to be something big and unique. The one perfect pot we might never ship.

But the more specific and simple your app, the better! The quality will come from how many times you iterate after shipping the simplest version.

After all, true simplicity is empowered by the right amount of complexity behind it.

🎨 Indie life

  • I have a functional version of my app! You can create Minders, get notifications, and record progress.
  • This week I will implement basic stats, introduce the mascot (Mindy), and squash some bugs.
  • If you are curious about the behind the scenes, check my latest video.

🌊 Internet bits


Thanks for reading!
Jorge Calle

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
Unsubscribe · Preferences

The 1% Practice

Insights on building intentional habits, creating with presence, and improving 1% at a time.

Read more from The 1% Practice

The 1% Practice Small shifts. Lasting change. April 12, 2026 Hey Reader, When was the last time you were in a liminal space? This is an in-between territory where the old rules governing our choices no longer apply. It's a space of pure uncertainty and potential magic. I've been there for the last three weeks. I signed a job offer for a remote company that I admire and am passionate about working for. But the process got paused because of unexpected paperwork from the Employer of Record they...

The 1% Practice Small shifts. Lasting change. March 28, 2026 Hey Reader, It's been a while, and I have a lot to catch you up on. The first quarter of 2026 went by flying! After closing out 2025, I kicked off January by diving back into job hunting after 8 years. It meant adapting to a completely different reality and letting go of limiting beliefs. Then just as I was getting closer to signing a work contract, another challenge came up: renewing my remote worker residency permit in Portugal....

The 1% Practice Small shifts. Lasting change. November 12, 2025 Hey Reader, Have you ever felt stuck at the beginning of something great? I stayed stuck for years after university. Always seeking validation before starting. Going through a layoff gave me the push to start building without asking for permission. I messed up a lot, and that's good. The moment you start making mistakes it means you are getting unstuck. I've condensed this essay for your inbox. Want the full story?[Read or listen...