Start Small to Achieve Big | Generated by AI
Question: Is starting with the simplest possible case — like one small problem on Codeforces, one sample input/output, buying a tiny house first, investing in just one stock successfully, or in software engineering building one endpoint with one request and one data point — a powerful and effective way of thinking and doing things?
Answer:
Yes, absolutely. It is one of the most powerful principles in learning, problem-solving, and achieving real results.
This approach is known by many names across different fields:
- “Minimum Viable Product” (MVP) in startups
- “One sample first” in competitive programming and debugging
- “Spike solution” or “tracer bullet” in software engineering
- “Start with a toy problem” in math/research
- “Buy your first rental property (even if it’s small)” in real estate investing
- “Do one trade perfectly” in trading/investing
Why it works so well:
- Reduces overwhelm – A huge task feels impossible; one tiny task feels doable.
- Gives immediate feedback – You learn what actually works vs. what you thought would work.
- Builds real confidence – Theoretical knowledge ≠ experience. One real success (even small) beats ten perfect plans.
- Reveals hidden difficulties early – The “simple” case often exposes 80% of the real problems.
- Creates momentum – Finishing the first one makes the second, third, and hundredth dramatically easier.
Real-world examples:
- Almost every top Codeforces grandmaster started by solving A problems slowly, one at a time.
- Warren Buffett’s first investment was just a few shares in one company when he was 11.
- Many millionaire real-estate investors began with a single small duplex or even a house hack (living in one room and renting the others).
- Great engineers ship one working API endpoint before building the whole microservice architecture.
Starting small and getting one complete, working thing done is not “being too cautious” — it’s the fastest, most reliable way to eventually handle the big, complex versions.
So yes — deliberately forcing yourself to begin with the smallest meaningful unit is an extremely powerful habit. Master it, and almost everything else becomes easier.