Day 901 - Curiosity > completion - https://golifelog.com/posts/curiosity-greater-completion-1687211205134
Saw an intriguing, thought-provoking thread on why folks with ADHD struggle to complete projects:
> For people who do not have ADHD, dopamine is released *at the moment a goal is accomplished*... For people who do have ADHD things are a bit more complicated. There are various ways to frame this argument, but the one that I tend to prefer is just: we seem to get dopamine from satisfying curiosity rather than completing goals...
>
> Your projects are your way of asking the universe a question, and then digging and digging and digging until the universe answers. You are motivated by curiosity, and that is a blessed gift, not a source of shame. Your unfinished work is the testament to your growth. Those aren't abandoned projects -- those are the remaining scaffolds from the the space ships that they launched. It was never about finishing the thing. Forgive yourself for that. – [@mykola](https://twitter.com/mykola/status/1666274476621803522)
Projects as a way to ask the universe a question. I love that.
Is that why I struggle to finish projects sometimes?
Do I have ADHD?
I'm not so sure about the ADHD part... assigning the condition might be convenient but not always true (as conditions are always more complex than a single facet of behaviour). But the root was what resonated deeply – satisfying curiosity. Because that's exactly how I feel when making my Carrd plugins. Someone asks a question about how to do something on Carrd, in Reddit or Facebook. I get curious. I can see it being possible but I don't know for sure. I wonder if it can be done. I try it, solve it, and in the process, create a plugin.
It's *literally* someone asking a question to the universe, which I happened to see, and that became my own question to ask the universe.
And the most revealing part that it's more about satisfying curiosity than reaching completion, is how I struggle—truly struggle—to launch it. Even to just put it on my site is a barrier. Writing a tutorial and publishing on my stores for sale is a doubly difficult. In most cases, I make it and I feel like my work's done. Sometimes I share it on social media, most of the time, it's just another thing done and left on the shelf.
Now I know why.
Satisfying curiosity had always been the main mission, not completing goals, not making money, not running a business.
In general, that's why I make things too. Curiosity. Satisfying that builder itch is why I build in the first place.
Now I know why I struggle with all other aspects of indie hacking.
Should I go with my base form *ala* just building for curiosity?
Or should I force myself to achieve all these other things with the output of my curiosity, even though I've never intended to?
Whose game am I really playing?
> For people who do not have ADHD, dopamine is released *at the moment a goal is accomplished*... For people who do have ADHD things are a bit more complicated. There are various ways to frame this argument, but the one that I tend to prefer is just: we seem to get dopamine from satisfying curiosity rather than completing goals...
>
> Your projects are your way of asking the universe a question, and then digging and digging and digging until the universe answers. You are motivated by curiosity, and that is a blessed gift, not a source of shame. Your unfinished work is the testament to your growth. Those aren't abandoned projects -- those are the remaining scaffolds from the the space ships that they launched. It was never about finishing the thing. Forgive yourself for that. – [@mykola](https://twitter.com/mykola/status/1666274476621803522)
Projects as a way to ask the universe a question. I love that.
Is that why I struggle to finish projects sometimes?
Do I have ADHD?
I'm not so sure about the ADHD part... assigning the condition might be convenient but not always true (as conditions are always more complex than a single facet of behaviour). But the root was what resonated deeply – satisfying curiosity. Because that's exactly how I feel when making my Carrd plugins. Someone asks a question about how to do something on Carrd, in Reddit or Facebook. I get curious. I can see it being possible but I don't know for sure. I wonder if it can be done. I try it, solve it, and in the process, create a plugin.
It's *literally* someone asking a question to the universe, which I happened to see, and that became my own question to ask the universe.
And the most revealing part that it's more about satisfying curiosity than reaching completion, is how I struggle—truly struggle—to launch it. Even to just put it on my site is a barrier. Writing a tutorial and publishing on my stores for sale is a doubly difficult. In most cases, I make it and I feel like my work's done. Sometimes I share it on social media, most of the time, it's just another thing done and left on the shelf.
Now I know why.
Satisfying curiosity had always been the main mission, not completing goals, not making money, not running a business.
In general, that's why I make things too. Curiosity. Satisfying that builder itch is why I build in the first place.
Now I know why I struggle with all other aspects of indie hacking.
Should I go with my base form *ala* just building for curiosity?
Or should I force myself to achieve all these other things with the output of my curiosity, even though I've never intended to?
Whose game am I really playing?