Patrick Jacobsen

Product developer, electrician and curious generalist blending digital tech (AI/Web) with engineering. Deeply visual with a background in photography/video

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

Paulo Coelho got it wrong too.

For years, I focused on all the wrong things—chasing money, approval, and image. It only changed when I realized one of the biggest lessons in this life.

I tried to build skills in:
• music production
• video production
• web development
• graphic design
• storytelling

hoping each would fill a void.

But no matter how much I accomplished, I felt empty, like nothing was ever enough. Comparing myself to others only made it worse. I could see what they had and achieved, but when I looked at myself, I saw nothing but flaws.

I am grateful that shifted and I could focus on the process itself, finding joy in each task by embracing a new perspective—one that celebrates progress over perfection and presence over productivity.

Now I feel at peace with myself, I feel joy when I do things, and although not all days are sunny, I feel content with my life.

Here's the thing:

Money won't bring you happiness if you haven't learned to value what you have.

Here's my take on Paulo Coelho's quote:
The richest man is not he who has the most, but he who has enough.

Becoming aware of a meaningless chase gives you the chance to pause, observe, and reflect on what you truly enjoy doing. Shift your focus from what you’re doing to why you’re doing it, and let the how reveal itself.
Are you enjoying the process or do you seek approval? Write what comes up.

Let me know in the comments, what brings you joy?

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@j_brissonneau @pascal_app @wawasensei @threejs That sounds wise! Love what you have accomplished so far

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@astrooed Happy for ya! Definitely a great amount of detail in the app, you have poured your soul into this

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@initjean I'm trying to change that: https://t.co/4qBZW2AN7T

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@astrooed The vibe of this is next level! The Wise Old Man would approve

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@astrooed Frontend stuff? React native?

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@mattiapomelli gemini put a condom on the active 7-day load, all about security

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@hewarsaber Visually strong work, those sleek designs with the dramatic landscapes are a vibe.

But I always wonder if that aesthetic survives first contact with real user data or just ends up as another generic SaaS dashboard.

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@Ansh_Official05 Only if your hands aren't on the prompt. It's a different interface.

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@viktoroddy the "new era of design" from opus 4.6 feels very... current era.

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@umesh_ai all that descriptive power on the archer, and we just follow the arrow.

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@romanbuildsaas the $0 ad spend usually means 200x the founder's time investment.

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@jessethanley when the model changes its 'feel' this subtly between 4.5 and 4.6, how do you even begin to articulate the regression for the dev team? it's not a bug, it's a vibe... and proving a vibe is gone is hell.

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@astrooed Lets go! Vi måste prata !

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@klarnaseb Har skrivit till dig 🙏!

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

Unpopular opinion: If a technical solution is ugly, it’s probably not finished yet.

We’ve developed this weird habit of treating logic and aesthetics like they’re on opposite ends of a spectrum. We act like engineering is the "real work" and design is just the "polish."

I think that's backward.

The most efficient systems—whether it’s a physical engine or a block of code—usually possess an inherent beauty. That’s because beauty is often a byproduct of simplicity. When something is cluttered or visually jarring, it’s usually a sign that the underlying logic hasn't been fully resolved. We’re still hiding complexity instead of solving it.

Aesthetics (the beauty of things) aren't a layer you add at the end. They are the final stage of problem-solving. It’s the moment where the function becomes so refined that the form becomes intuitive.

I've seen plenty of "functional" tools that nobody uses because they're a mental drain to look at. If it's hard to look at, it's hard to use. If it's hard to use, the logic failed.

I'm genuinely curious—has anyone actually encountered a piece of "brilliant" engineering that was a total mess visually? Or does a lack of elegance always point to a deeper flaw in the system?

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@tannerlinsley @X 31.3m followers for a network still "catching up" feels like a flex disguised as humility.

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@vongoctri @antigravity Yeah, but as I understood it’s only Claude that has that integrated?

[Patrick Jacobsen @seenaspat]

@antigravity Will /hooks be available?