Welcome to my weekly newsletter where I write about how to unlock the art of effective learning, replace frustrating and outdated approaches, and finally achieve meaningful results while enjoying the process.
✿ Tomorrow: My Messy Journey Back to (Vibe-)Code (I'm Still Figuring It Out)
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Hey there, Three weeks ago, I was a "former developer" who occasionally wrote scripts. Right now? I'm knee-deep in building my own CRM, learning as I go, and honestly having more fun with code than I have in years. Tomorrow, Thursday at 6PM CEST (12PM EDT), I'm sharing what this journey looks like – including the parts where I still have no idea what I'm doing. Here's where I am right now→ Built my homepage with Lovable (felt like magic, then I wanted more control) → Moved everything to Cursor (still learning what this thing can actually do) → Started building a CRM from scratch (it's messy, but it's mine) → Discovering that "vibe coding" is less about the tools and more about embracing the unknown The thing is: I'm not done. Not even close. My code probably makes experienced developers cringe. And I'm still googling basic things every day. But that's exactly what makes this interesting. What I'll share tomorrowThe stuff that's actually working: → How web debuggers became my best friend (copying console output = lifesaver) → Why I commit to git every few minutes (because AI can go sideways fast) → When to interrupt AI and say "focus on this specific thing" → The tech stack I'm stumbling through: React, TypeScript, Tailwind, Supabase The stuff I'm still figuring out: → How much should I understand vs. how much should I trust? → When vibe coding works and when it definitely doesn't → Why context is everything (and I'm still learning to provide it) The honest reality: → The debugging loops that made me want to quit → The moments when something actually worked (pure joy) → Why taking breaks matters more than grinding through ——— This isn't wisdom from someone who's figured it all out. It's a progress report from someone in the middle of the mess. → Come with your own half-finished projects → Ask about the parts that confuse you too → Let's figure this out together Plus: Everyone who shows up live gets 100,000 credits ($0 cost) to test-drive my AI assistants yourself. ——— Don't Code Hard, Code Happy: Vibe Coding Lessons from a 48-Year-Old Developer Thursday, August 21st | 6PM CEST | 12PM EDT Register here - it's free (or just join directly via Zoom) Ready to embrace the beautiful mess of learning in public? See you tomorrow, Basti P.S. What's something you're in the middle of building or learning right now? The messy, unfinished stuff is often the most interesting. Hit reply and tell me where you're stuck – maybe we can figure it out together. To respond to this newsletter, just hit reply. I love getting replies, read all of them, and reply to as many as possible(And if you received this email from a friend, and would like to subscribe, please go here: https://pages.quintsmart.com/) |
The Friday Brain Upgrade
Welcome to my weekly newsletter where I write about how to unlock the art of effective learning, replace frustrating and outdated approaches, and finally achieve meaningful results while enjoying the process.
Multitasking Is Back (And This Time It Actually Works) You’re becoming a manager whether you like it or not. → And nobody’s teaching you how Here’s the uncomfortable truth about working with AI: The more powerful your AI assistants become, the less time you spend doing deep work and the more time you spend orchestrating multiple tasks in parallel. This isn’t a bug. It’s a feature. But it creates a dangerous new problem: While you’re switching between AI tasks, your brain is getting hijacked...
Two People, Same Layoff, Different Outcomes (Here’s Why) (The System That Turned My Layoff Into My Launch) Two people get laid off from the same company. Same role. Same expertise. Same years of experience. One spirals ... sending hundreds of resumes, getting ghosted, questioning everything. The other launches a business within months. What’s the difference? Last year, I was person number two. After 15 years building expertise—from Agile coaching in 2009 to becoming the highest-paid...
The Knowledge Paradox: Why Smart People Stay Stuck The Challenge You’re Facing You’ve built expertise. You’ve accumulated knowledge. You’ve developed insights through years of experience. But here’s what I’m seeing across my community: your knowledge is trapped. It sits in scattered notes, half-remembered conversations, and mental models that never quite make it into actionable systems. You consume more information than ever, yet struggle to transform it into the value you know you’re capable...