the reason why people abandon so many “almost done” things is because the last 20% of anything is friction, detail, & accountability. that last 20% of the work doesn’t feel like 20% at all, it feels like the whole damn thing & then some. this is especially true in an ai era where you can go from zero to something so quickly.

Aug 16, 2025 · 9:03 PM UTC

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Replying to @signulll
Finishing the feature set is usually a single line item on a much larger launch checklist
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this is why jobs, elon, & others who consistently ship are true gods.
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this one is just from working tbh. others are a cross between conversations & content i read.
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Replying to @signulll
It's often because completing something involves admitting that it isn't perfect and then exposing it to external judgement
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Replying to @signulll
That final stretch is where dreams go to die... Most people love the creative rush but hate the boring bits that actually make things work
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Replying to @signulll
Sometimes that’s when you realize the idea sucks, too.
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Replying to @signulll
100%. 80/20. The last 20% taking 80% of your time as actual polishing. Writing feels this way. The editing, reworking, etc. is usually more work than word vomiting the first pass.
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That last 20% is where the true value often lies. It's not just finishing, it's refining. AI might assist, but can't replace that human touch.
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Vibe coders learn this the hard way once they copy the codebase off the initial bootstrapping platform like Replit.
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yep this is where the real magic happens
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Replying to @signulll
Yep - that last 10% always takes half the time.
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Very true 😔
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Replying to @signulll
What separates demos from tools is the patience to finish. friction is part of the proof.
Replying to @signulll
It's me I'm people
Replying to @signulll
Same reason why vibecoded slop doesn’t work. The attention to detail is missing.
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Replying to @signulll
Not what I thought today!
Replying to @signulll
I can so relate to this. A have a litany of "almost done" :D What's your solution?
Replying to @signulll
Exactly. Most quit at 80% because finishing is where the real magic—and the real winners—live.
Replying to @signulll
Just quickly drew this. I think it's often like this for most projects.
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Replying to @signulll
you nailed it. zero to something is free now. zero to done need so much focus which is rare now
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I’d add that many people have a fundamental fear of failure, so it’s easier to never finish it because dealing with the reality of “it wasn’t worth it” is harder than the “what if”
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Replying to @signulll
for software, the first 80% is building an mvp. the last 20% is finding pmf and getting distribution. ai makes the build easy, what’s hard is making something people actually want and making sure they hear about it.
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Inverse Pareto Principle - 20/80 The last 20% in gains takes 80% of the effort
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80% took about two weeks, the last six months I’ve been working on the 20%, and that’s just to get to the starting line 🥵
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Replying to @signulll
totally - most painful part is the 20%
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or maybe we are just intrinsically bad planners. what you call friction is dopamine crashing out because we were dumb enough to believe, once again, that we were only 20% away from completing the project. it even has a name: the planning fallacy.
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Replying to @signulll
So true. Easy to start for amateurs. Only professionals finish.
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Yeah, I want to be able to tell AI - "Finish the rest of this fucking thing for me" - when are we getting that?
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Replying to @signulll
Yep, I can even recall someone who quit their studies right after finishing their thesis (without submitting it). Been thinking about this a lot
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Replying to @signulll
The last bit of a project always feels endless. Used to think I was just procrastinating, but turns out the boring details are what slow everyone down. Kind of a relief to know it's normal.
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Replying to @signulll
That last stretch of any big project feels endless. I once thought wrapping up meant you could finally relax, but it's usually where all the unexpected hurdles pop up. The "almost done" part is a test on its own.
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Replying to @signulll
the fourth way calls it the law of octaves. everything stalls at si • do. the last step never carries itself, momentum wanes, needs a conscious shock. that’s why the end feels heavier than the start. presence is the only fuel that completes the line.
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Replying to @signulll
I’m always the last one standing on my big projects. That’s the architect’s job……see it through. Not easily done, but crucial.
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