Decide to double down or move on after weeks not months - build feedback loop, not patience test
After shipping and getting early feedback, make an explicit decision in weeks (not months): if product shows traction, double down; if flat, move to next idea without guilt. The goal is learning fast, not proving you can endure. Every project teaches something even when it fails. This requires building small enough that weeks of feedback are meaningful.
When to use
After shipping MVP and gathering initial user feedback. When you're unclear if a project deserves more resources. Works best when you have multiple ideas and want to find what resonates fastest.
Don't do this
Spending months trying to make a flat project work out of stubbornness or sunk cost fallacy. Also avoid quitting after a single week - need enough signal to make informed decision. Build something testable in days/weeks so the feedback window matches the decision timeline.
2 Founders Who Did This
Built 80+ projects using 5-step loop: build small (days/weeks), ship publicly, get feedback, monetize early, then decide after weeks/months whether to double down or move on. Made explicit decisions quickly rather than grinding on flat projects.
Adopted one-product-per-week challenge, judging success on revenue not free users. Killed products that didn't show revenue traction quickly. Outrank survived this ruthless validation filter.