Hello World

December 3, 2024 (2mo ago)

i'm chasing curious

Have you ever noticed that when you see sparks fly, in almost any setting, you can't help but look? "Woah what was that?" Literal sparks, not like romantic sparks (thought that's fun to watch too).

Sparks flying during night

like GAWD I just want to LOOK at it.

And yet, when we get curious at work or in our personal lives, it's all like "Nope, not interested. Gotta keep moving. Gotta ship that next ticket!"

Why is that? Sparks are a literal phenomenon - a tiny particle has become so hot it's emitting light!!!! That cold, boring, lifeless metal has HIT something and transformed itself into a microscopic version of the sun, casting photons in every direction and transforming the world around it.

A tiny spark has the power to set fire to a forest, and wreak destruction. Or.. it can start a fire that saves your life on a cold, snowy night.

There's so much power in the spark. But most of the time, we don't even stop to look.

I want to chase the spark.

When it comes to product design, it's not always about building the next big thing. What if you just made something cool, that made only you happy? Wouldn't it be worth it?

If that spark of curiosity lights you up, that's worth something. How often do we let ourselves be pulled by that instinct?

Curiosity isn’t linear. It's messy and wandering, but it makes us see the world differently.. And have you noticed – there's nothing like someone staring and pointing to make everyone else start staring too.

Product design isn’t always about roadmaps and deadlines. Sometimes, it's about following a spark only you can see, building something because it brings you joy. When we do that, we're not just chasing sparks — we're creating them.

Next time you see the sparks - maybe go make more? Hit the metal harder. You're not driving on the highway, it's okay to stop and stare and gawk at the spectacle.

– ethan