Decompose Everything
Day 6 of 30 · Done is better - Build What Matters
Big problems dissolve when cut into elemental parts.
Learning goal
- Break the problem into sub-problems or components.
- Identify which parts can be tested or solved independently.
- Choose the first slice to work on.
Why it matters
- One big blob is paralyzing.
- Small parts can be completed and tested.
- Decomposition reveals leverage points.
Key idea
Decomposition is breaking a big problem into smaller, elemental parts. Big problems dissolve when cut into parts. Then pick the first slice or the leverage point.
Procedure
- List sub-problems or components.
- For each: can it be solved or tested independently?
- Identify which component, if fixed, would ease the rest (leverage point).
- Pick the first move on the leverage point or the smallest testable slice.
Common mistakes
- Trying to solve the whole thing at once.
- Decomposing into too many tiny pieces with no prioritization.
- Ignoring dependencies between parts.
Today's move
Decompose your working problem into 3–5 sub-parts. Mark which one is the leverage point or the smallest testable slice. Choose the first move on that.
Self-check
- You can explain the key idea in one sentence.
- You have one concrete move to do today.