Unpopular Opinion: Build MVPs without validation

I know what you're thinking as you read this title. Another dev who doesn't understand business fundamentals. Another dreamer who'll waste months building something nobody wants.

But hear me out.

I've been programming since I was 10 years old. Back then, I wasn't thinking about product-market fit or business models. I was fascinated by the pure magic of making a machine do exactly what I imagined.

That kid didn't care about validation. He cared about creation.

As I grew up and studied software engineering, I absorbed all the "proper" business thinking. Find the pain point. Interview potential customers. Validate before building. Write code that solves problems people will pay for.

I tried playing by these rules. For years, I approached software as a calculated business decision rather than a creative act.

But something always felt off. Building without validation felt "wrong" yet somehow... more natural.

Then it finally clicked: I'm not just an engineer. I'm an artist whose medium happens to be code.

A painter doesn't validate their canvas before they begin. A sculptor doesn't run market research on which shapes people prefer in marble. They create because they're driven to express something.

When I build without validation, I'm expressing myself through elegant solutions, beautiful architectures, and intuitive interfaces. I'm not just solving problems—I'm crafting digital experiences that feel right to me.

Steve Jobs rarely validated his ideas through traditional means. He understood that true innovation often precedes validation. "People don't know what they want until you show it to them," he said.

Some of my most meaningful work came from following this artistic instinct rather than market research. The joy of creation led to software with a soul—something users connect with on a deeper level than mere utility.

So next time you sit down at your keyboard wondering if you should validate first, ask yourself a different question: Are you approaching this as an engineer or as an artist?

If it's the latter, maybe it's okay to let your creative instincts lead. The validation can come later.