Theme 1 – Ship and expose yourself publicly
Many commenters argue that putting work out in the open forces growth and prevents endless private polishing.
“Better to be pinned in public with courage than to train endlessly in private like a coward. Ship that product” – multisport
Theme 2 – Private, internally‑driven work is also valuable
Others stress that personal fulfillment and skill development don’t require external validation; the “cave” can be a legitimate space for creation.
“I judge myself by how I progressed from yesterday, not by whether what I am or what I built is useful to others.” – ang_cire
Theme 3 – Balance preparation with real‑world testing
A recurring pragmatic view is to start small, get early feedback (or sales), then iterate—avoiding the chicken‑egg trap of perfecting in isolation.
“It’s a bit of a chicken and egg problem. You can't sell something that's not good enough, but you don't know if there is demand without selling.” – edg5000