Debate: Should you push through the boring parts or pivot when a project stalls?

I was cleaning out my old files last week and found a project I started 2 years ago to build a custom air filter for my workshop. It got stuck because I couldn't figure out the right seal for the duct connection. Now I'm wondering if I should hammer through that problem or just ditch it and start something simpler. What do you guys do when a project hits a wall like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

grayperez12d ago

Oh man, I totally get that feeling. Idk if this helps but I usually try to break the wall into smaller pieces instead of either pushing through or giving up completely. Like with your seal problem, maybe the real issue isn't the seal itself but the duct connection design. I'd probably just spend an hour trying three different cheap fixes from the hardware store before deciding if it's really stuck or just needs a different approach. Sometimes the boring part is just the part where you need to test like five bad ideas to find one good one, you know? For me, the projects that actually get finished are the ones where I let myself try the dumb solutions first before calling it quits.

verac4012d ago

That part about testing five bad ideas to find one good one really hits home for me. I read somewhere that most breakthroughs actually come after like a dozen dead ends, not from some big smart move. @grayperez, that duct connection idea is solid too, sometimes you gotta look a little sideways at the problem instead of just staring at the same spot.