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Take the Leap of Faith

I've worked on quite a lot of side projects over the years, but I've never really taken any of them seriously. They all have a common theme:

  1. I get an idea
  2. I get excited about the idea and start working on it
  3. I either complete it or get bored of the idea and stop working on it

I've taken time to reflect on this, and I've realized that I'm not the only one who has this problem. Those that do home projects, side projects, or even full-time projects have a common theme. For most people, they end up all unfinished, why?

To me, it's because of:

  • Impact: How much value does this project give me and more importantly, others? For you, ask yourself:

Why do I want to build this project?

  • Effort: How much effort does it take to maintain the project?
  • Time: How much time do I have to work on the project?

I believe that these 3 things are related to both projects, and startups.

As I continue this blog, I'd like to emphasize that I'm talking more about projects with the potential to become startups, and not just projects solely for learning. Projects developed by learning and passion is a different topic, and I'll save that for another blog post since I am a huge advocate for working with passion.

Impact

To me, what often makes or breaks an initial project idea is the impact it has. Often times, I'd create projects, get excited about the idea, and start working on it. However, I'd soon find myself getting bored of the project, and it would be abandoned.

It didn't have purpose, it didn't have a reason to exist. Now, many of you could argue that you don't need a reason for it to exist, and it could be a great learning experience. I fully agree and support this mindset, but after a bunch of projects, learning new things, it's all fun, but you may ask yourself, what impact is there?

I believe that it's important to have a reason for it to exist. It doesn't have to be a big reason, but it should be there.

Here's an example, my Heida project. If you'd like to learn more about it, check it out here.

I was disappointed in the monthly subscription models for AI tools (think ChatGPT, Claude, etc.). I was even more frustrated by the limitations of some services like Lovable and V0, which have their own subscription models. So, this means if you'd like to use services like these, you'd:

  1. Pay for a main AI provider (e.g. OpenAI)
  2. Pay for a secondary AI provider that specialize in a specific task (e.g. V0, Lovable)

This is a lot of money, and it's not even close to the quality of the service you're getting. So, I thought to myself, why not create a project that allows me to use all of these services in one place with a usage-based pricing model? That was my initial idea, to help others like myself curb the cost of using AI tools.

Now you could apply this mindset to many projects, but I'd like to focus on startups.

Effort

Do you have time to work on it? Do you have the resources to work on it? Do you have the skills to work on it?

These are some of the many questions you should be asking yourself when you're starting a project.

The effort involved in building and maintaining a project often determines whether it survives past the initial excitement phase. For side projects that become startups, this effort multiplies exponentially.

When I started considering turning my projects into something more serious, I had to honestly evaluate my capacity for sustained effort. Could I push through the inevitable difficulties and challenges? Was I willing to learn new skills outside my comfort zone?

What I've learned is that effort becomes much more manageable when you're genuinely passionate about the impact of your work. When you believe in what you're building, putting in extra hours doesn't feel like a burden—it feels like an investment.

With Heida, and now with merin.ai, I've discovered that my willingness to put in effort is directly related to how much I believe in the project's purpose. When I'm solving a problem I personally care about, the effort feels worth it.

Time

Time is perhaps the most precious resource we have. Unlike money or even skills, you can't make more of it. So how you allocate your time speaks volumes about what you truly value.

Many of my abandoned projects suffered from poor time allocation. I'd work intensely for a few days or weeks, then let the project languish as other responsibilities took priority. There was no consistency, no dedicated time blocks for making steady progress.

It seems for a startup to succeed, you need to commit significant, consistent time. This might mean:

  • Reducing other commitments
  • Setting aside specific blocks in your calendar
  • Being willing to sacrifice some leisure activities
  • Creating routines that prioritize your project

I realized that if I couldn't make time for a project consistently, it probably wasn't a priority for me. And if it wasn't a priority, why would I expect it to succeed?

Taking the Leap

Which brings me to the heart of this post—taking the leap of faith.

After years of starting and abandoning projects, I finally realized that I needed to commit fully to an idea I believed in. That's how Merin was born.

Taking the leap doesn't necessarily mean quitting your job on day one (though for some, that might be the right path). For me, it meant making a mental shift from "this is just another side project" to "this is something I'm building for the long haul."

It meant:

  1. Setting clear goals and milestones
  2. Being willing to invest not just time, but also money and social capital
  3. Talking openly about my project and seeking feedback, even when it was uncomfortable
  4. Pushing through the inevitable doubts and setbacks
  5. Building in public and being accountable to a community

Since taking this leap with Merin, the experience has been transformative. I've met new, brilliant people who share my vision. I've learned skills I never would have developed otherwise. Most importantly, I've discovered a sense of purpose that was missing from my previous projects.

The Rewards of Taking the Leap

Taking a leap of faith with your startup isn't just about the potential financial rewards, which can be motivating. It's about creating something meaningful that people would use and benefit from, that wouldn't exist without your effort.

So far on my journey with Merin, the biggest rewards have been:

  • The relationships formed with like-minded creators and entrepreneurs
  • The accelerated personal growth that comes from fully committing to a challenging goal
  • The satisfaction of building something that solves real problems for real people
  • The confidence that comes from overcoming obstacles and continuing to move forward

A First-Timer's Mindset

I should mention that Merin is my first real startup. I have no exits, no previous successes to lean on - just a vision and the willingness to see it through. And that's okay. I'm going into this expecting that failure is a possibility, but I'm committing regardless.

I believe that the true value isn't just in the destination but in the journey itself. Each challenge, each roadblock, each small victory teaches me something I couldn't learn any other way. I'm approaching this with an open mindset, ready to adapt and evolve as needed.

What matters most is putting in the hard work consistently and seeing how far things can go. Even if Merin doesn't become the next unicorn, the skills, relationships, and insights I gain along the way are invaluable. That's the beauty of taking the leap - you grow regardless of the outcome.

Final Thoughts

If you're stuck in the cycle of starting projects only to abandon them later, ask yourself the hard questions about impact, effort, and time. Are you ready to commit fully to an idea you believe in?

Taking the leap of faith doesn't guarantee success—nothing can. But it does guarantee growth, learning, and the profound satisfaction of giving your all to something you believe in.

As for me, I'm excited to continue building Merin, connecting with amazing people along the way, and seeing where this journey takes me. Sometimes the biggest risk isn't taking a leap of faith—it's never taking one at all.

What project are you considering taking the leap with? I'd love to hear about it.