This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Muskan Dodmani
Dear Fellow Developer Who’s Bursting with Ideas,
“Don’t let excitement make you jump into a pit instead of a pool.”
Remember that moment when you got that project idea? The one that made your developer heart race? Yeah, I just had one of those. Grab your favorite debugging beverage 
– this story is for you.
The “Perfect” Project Take-Off 
Picture this: Me, feeling like a kid with a new LEGO set. New project idea? Check. Basic plan? Sort of. Enthusiasm levels? Through the roof! I mean, who needs detailed planning when you’ve got pure developer enthusiasm, right?
Narrator: She was about to find out exactly who needs it.
When Reality Entered the Chat 
Let’s play a game of “Spot the Developer in Denial”:
- Task completion: “Going great!”
- New requirements: “No biggie!”
- Code structure: “We’ll fix it later!”
- Activity diagrams: “Pfft, who needs those?”
(Spoiler: I needed those. I needed those so much.)
The Plot Twist 
Here’s where it gets interesting. Remember those user activity diagrams I’d been ghosting? Turns out they weren’t just fancy drawings for documentation. They were like having a GPS for your project instead of just saying “I’ll head north and figure it out”!
The “Aha!” Moment 
It hit me like a failed production deployment on a Friday afternoon:
- My excitement was writing checks my planning couldn’t cash
- Those “unnecessary” diagrams? Actually a debugging time machine
- “Figuring it out later” meant “creating problems for future-me”
The Glow-Up Guide
Here’s what I wish I’d known before my enthusiasm took the wheel:
Before Starting:
- Brain dump everything (yes, even the “obvious” stuff)
- Make those activity diagrams (they’re your new BFFs)
- Plan for growth and changes (future-me will thank present-me)
- Sleep on it (your dreams might debug your plans)
- Review with fresh eyes after a day
- THEN let your fingers hit that keyboard
Real Talk Corner 
Let’s be honest – we’ve all been that developer:
“Planning? Pfft. Real developers dive straight in!”
…said every developer ever, right before learning this lesson the hard way
Or was it only me? (Spoiler: It’s never only you in the dev world 
)
The Plot Resolution 
Now when excitement comes knocking, I don’t let it bypass my planning phase. Instead, I use it as fuel for creating the most robust plan possible. Because let’s face it – the only thing better than starting a project is starting it right.
Your Turn, Developer! 
Next time you’re buzzing with excitement about a new project:
- Channel that energy into planning (it’s like pre-debugging!)
- Make friends with those diagrams (they’re actually cool)
- Remember: Slow is smooth, smooth is fast
The Happy Ending 
Now I can say with the confidence of someone who learned it the hard way: Good planning isn’t the enemy of excitement – it’s the runway that helps it soar.
And before you go, here’s a thought to carry with you: 
Excitement can either fuel or drain your next steps, beware.
~ Muskan Dodmani
Developer by day, Poem & Quote writer by night
Keep coding, keep planning, keep growing!
P.S. Got your own “excitement vs. planning” story? I’d love to hear it! Let’s connect and share our developer plot twists! 
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This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Muskan Dodmani