I used to believe that shipping more meant being more productive.
So I shipped more. And I finished less.
The pattern I missed
When you spread yourself across many projects:
- Context switching becomes your default mode
- Deep work becomes rare
- Momentum dies between sessions
- “Almost done” becomes a permanent state
I wasn’t building a portfolio. I was collecting half-finished ideas.
The shift: scope over speed
I started asking a different question:
“What if I finished one thing instead of starting three?”
It felt counterintuitive.
It felt slower.
But it was the opposite.
Why finishing matters more
1. You learn the whole cycle
Shipping isn’t just the last 10%.
It’s the deployment, the first bug, the feedback, the iteration.
Most developers skip this part.
That’s why they keep restarting.
2. You build trust with yourself
Every finished project is a promise kept.
Over time, you stop seeing yourself as someone who starts things.
You become someone who finishes things.
That mental shift changes everything.
3. You create real value
One working project used by someone is worth more than ten half-finished ones.
Value comes from completion, not volume.
How I changed my approach
- One project at a time (unless it’s very small)
- Clear definition of “done” before starting
- Permission to abandon if it’s not working
- Celebrate small completions along the way
I stopped treating projects like sprints.
I started treating them like journeys that needed to reach a destination.
The surprising result
Shipping less actually made me more productive.
Because the things I did finish:
- Actually got used
- Taught me more
- Built my confidence
- Created momentum for the next project
Productivity isn’t about how many things you touch.
It’s about how many things you bring across the finish line.
A simpler baseline
I still have ideas I don’t pursue.
I still start small experiments.
But when something has potential, I protect it.
I scope it down.
I finish it.
I learn from it.
Shipping less and finishing more isn’t about doing less.
It’s about doing what matters, all the way through.