---
title: Code Paralysis
description: Sometimes I feel like I'm overthinking things. Because I'm afraid I'm going to do the wrong things. And then I get stuck. I get code paralysis.
pubDate: 2015-02-25
---

## Starting that new project…or feature…or class.

One thing I get tripped up on is starting to write new code.

I think about what my class name should be. If what I'm writing is modular or abstracted enough. Or maybe it's *too* modular. "Should I use this here?" "Maybe I'm taking this too far." "Maybe I should start over?"

Sometimes I feel like I'm overthinking things. Because I'm afraid I'm going to do the wrong things.

And then I get stuck. I get "code paralysis".

## Code paralysis

I can freeze up when writing code because I want to use the right class name or make things as reusable as possible.

However, this typically happens when I want to learn something *new*, but because I'm afraid of doing it wrong I stay within my comfort zone.

> ***I would like to use [Backbone.js](http://backbonejs.org/) on a new project or feature, but I'm afraid I don't understand how to separate my code properly.***

*…or…*

> ***[Ember.js](http://emberjs.com/) is amazingly flexible, but I'm not sure how to handle SEO for the area it'll get used on.***

These are legitimate concerns. It's not that these worries don't have *some* bit of truth to them. It might be difficult to effectively separate my code in Backbone or how to handle SEO in a section driven by Ember.

However, there was a time I didn't understand the first thing about ExpressionEngine. Or build tools. Or Git. Or jQuery. Or HTML. And when I look back at earlier projects using these things, I realize they could be better.

*A lot* better.

## Learning good tools by making mistakes

It's not that I intentionally used these tools badly. I just developed better practices *after* using them in production settings. All of these tools were worth learning even if I didn't understand them fully in the beginning.

I look at projects I worked on a year ago and wish I wrote my CSS differently. And my JavaScript differently. And my HTML differently.

I'm *still* learning how to write better HTML, the first language I ever learned.

## Wabi-Sabi

> ***...wabi-sabi is the art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in earthiness, of revering authenticity above all.***

*— [Wabi-Sabi: The Art Of Imperfection](http://www.utne.com/mind-and-body/wabi-sabi.aspx)*

There's a great King of the Hill episode where Bobby Hill enters a rose contest. His rose isn't as impressive as the other contestants', but it's authentic. His teammate points out that it has "Wabi-Sabi". Its imperfections is what makes it great.

I get so tripped up on not *fully* understanding something new that I avoid it altogether. I'm afraid of all the little imperfections that I'll write. The many, many imperfections.

But code I wrote yesterday has imperfections. And there's a huge payoff in taking a chance on something new. I'll write some bad code. There's no avoiding it. But learning something new will give me a bigger toolset. It'll allow me to write better, more maintainable code. It'll give me the ability to take on projects that were once intimidating.

## Give something new a chance

You should still be cautious using something totally new. Don't start that new project with something you've never used at all. I don't want to encourage using that new MVC you haven't spent a day with.

But give that new thing a chance in your spare time. Learn how to use it. Ask questions on things you don't understand. Build some contrived stuff. Build some real stuff. And if you come across a project that would benefit from 80% of it, give it a shot. You'll learn how to do the other 20%.

And then you'll look by six months from now and think, "This could be better."

*A lot* better.