Xinran Ma
@xinranma.bsky.social
Helping new solopreneurs start their business and live better lives.
Sharing personal AI + Design insights at http://designwithai.co
Sharing personal AI + Design insights at http://designwithai.co
My friend, Junaid, is an amazing engineer (CMU and a YC company’s first engineer) who has the passion of teaching software development to people without a technical background.
He’s leading a course that is starting next Monday: maven.com/xinran/ai-as...
I’ll be his assistant.
He’s leading a course that is starting next Monday: maven.com/xinran/ai-as...
I’ll be his assistant.
AI-Assisted App Development by Junaid Dodhia and Xinran Ma on Maven
Gain essential skills to build full-stack apps with Cursor and modern web frameworks.
maven.com
July 23, 2025 at 8:21 PM
My friend, Junaid, is an amazing engineer (CMU and a YC company’s first engineer) who has the passion of teaching software development to people without a technical background.
He’s leading a course that is starting next Monday: maven.com/xinran/ai-as...
I’ll be his assistant.
He’s leading a course that is starting next Monday: maven.com/xinran/ai-as...
I’ll be his assistant.
"Health, Love, and your Mission, in that order. Nothing else matters."
- Naval
- Naval
May 31, 2025 at 12:10 PM
"Health, Love, and your Mission, in that order. Nothing else matters."
- Naval
- Naval
Have mixed feelings about the term “building an email list.”
Don’t treat people’s trust as just a way to make money for yourself.
Don’t treat people’s trust as just a way to make money for yourself.
May 26, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Have mixed feelings about the term “building an email list.”
Don’t treat people’s trust as just a way to make money for yourself.
Don’t treat people’s trust as just a way to make money for yourself.
The benefit of starting the day with a hard workout is that things that follow in the day feels easier.
May 19, 2025 at 2:18 PM
The benefit of starting the day with a hard workout is that things that follow in the day feels easier.
"Would you rather be the world’s greatest lover, but have everyone think you’re the world’s worst lover?
Or would you rather be the world’s worst lover but have everyone think you’re the world’s greatest lover?"
— Warren Buffett
Or would you rather be the world’s worst lover but have everyone think you’re the world’s greatest lover?"
— Warren Buffett
May 18, 2025 at 2:41 PM
"Would you rather be the world’s greatest lover, but have everyone think you’re the world’s worst lover?
Or would you rather be the world’s worst lover but have everyone think you’re the world’s greatest lover?"
— Warren Buffett
Or would you rather be the world’s worst lover but have everyone think you’re the world’s greatest lover?"
— Warren Buffett
“First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they ask how you did it.”
Then they laugh at you.
Then they ask how you did it.”
May 14, 2025 at 12:10 PM
“First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they ask how you did it.”
Then they laugh at you.
Then they ask how you did it.”
It's odd that I’ve started using the em dash less often because it's seen as AI-generated, even though it's not.
How can our em dash lovers resist peer pressure in this age of AI?
How can our em dash lovers resist peer pressure in this age of AI?
May 11, 2025 at 3:49 PM
It's odd that I’ve started using the em dash less often because it's seen as AI-generated, even though it's not.
How can our em dash lovers resist peer pressure in this age of AI?
How can our em dash lovers resist peer pressure in this age of AI?
Life isn’t just about smooth times when everything is going well.
It also comes with misfortunes, struggles, heartbreaks.
But it’s in those difficult times you gain clarity.
You get to see people’s true character, who truly cares about you, and who you should cherish in life.
It also comes with misfortunes, struggles, heartbreaks.
But it’s in those difficult times you gain clarity.
You get to see people’s true character, who truly cares about you, and who you should cherish in life.
May 8, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Life isn’t just about smooth times when everything is going well.
It also comes with misfortunes, struggles, heartbreaks.
But it’s in those difficult times you gain clarity.
You get to see people’s true character, who truly cares about you, and who you should cherish in life.
It also comes with misfortunes, struggles, heartbreaks.
But it’s in those difficult times you gain clarity.
You get to see people’s true character, who truly cares about you, and who you should cherish in life.
A valuable life skill is to make peace with what you did without regrets.
May 6, 2025 at 4:44 PM
A valuable life skill is to make peace with what you did without regrets.
"Many of the world’s most precious things are free and can’t be bought.
Such as sunlight, air, and parents' love."
Such as sunlight, air, and parents' love."
May 2, 2025 at 7:26 PM
"Many of the world’s most precious things are free and can’t be bought.
Such as sunlight, air, and parents' love."
Such as sunlight, air, and parents' love."
At some point, we no longer need advice, tips, guidance, or inspiration.
We just need to put in the work ourselves.
We just need to put in the work ourselves.
April 28, 2025 at 4:16 PM
At some point, we no longer need advice, tips, guidance, or inspiration.
We just need to put in the work ourselves.
We just need to put in the work ourselves.
Don't lose your soul when automating.
April 28, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Don't lose your soul when automating.
If you had an infinite amount of money, what would you truly want to do?
What is stopping you from doing that today, even if it's just a little bit?
What is stopping you from doing that today, even if it's just a little bit?
April 28, 2025 at 10:55 AM
If you had an infinite amount of money, what would you truly want to do?
What is stopping you from doing that today, even if it's just a little bit?
What is stopping you from doing that today, even if it's just a little bit?
The problem with some AI-generated content and automations:
While you’ve increased efficiency and gained numbers more easily, you’re also giving away the soul of your writing.
And in the long term, you're losing a scarce resource in the age of AI.
That is Trust.
While you’ve increased efficiency and gained numbers more easily, you’re also giving away the soul of your writing.
And in the long term, you're losing a scarce resource in the age of AI.
That is Trust.
April 25, 2025 at 3:59 PM
The problem with some AI-generated content and automations:
While you’ve increased efficiency and gained numbers more easily, you’re also giving away the soul of your writing.
And in the long term, you're losing a scarce resource in the age of AI.
That is Trust.
While you’ve increased efficiency and gained numbers more easily, you’re also giving away the soul of your writing.
And in the long term, you're losing a scarce resource in the age of AI.
That is Trust.
Saw my Medium reached 10k followers.
Funny cuz it feels like crickets for years.
But I just kept publishing regardless.
- 1 → 100 followers: 3 years and 7 months
- 100 → 1,000 followers: 7 months
- 1,000 → 10,000 followers: 5 months
This is what time can do.
Funny cuz it feels like crickets for years.
But I just kept publishing regardless.
- 1 → 100 followers: 3 years and 7 months
- 100 → 1,000 followers: 7 months
- 1,000 → 10,000 followers: 5 months
This is what time can do.
April 24, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Saw my Medium reached 10k followers.
Funny cuz it feels like crickets for years.
But I just kept publishing regardless.
- 1 → 100 followers: 3 years and 7 months
- 100 → 1,000 followers: 7 months
- 1,000 → 10,000 followers: 5 months
This is what time can do.
Funny cuz it feels like crickets for years.
But I just kept publishing regardless.
- 1 → 100 followers: 3 years and 7 months
- 100 → 1,000 followers: 7 months
- 1,000 → 10,000 followers: 5 months
This is what time can do.
Fun Fact. My name has been spelled wrong many times over the years as:
- Xiran (most common)
- Xin
- Xinra
- Xinrad
That happened to my official documents too.
That’s why when I spell others’ names, I always look extra closely to make sure I spell them right.
- Xiran (most common)
- Xin
- Xinra
- Xinrad
That happened to my official documents too.
That’s why when I spell others’ names, I always look extra closely to make sure I spell them right.
April 23, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Fun Fact. My name has been spelled wrong many times over the years as:
- Xiran (most common)
- Xin
- Xinra
- Xinrad
That happened to my official documents too.
That’s why when I spell others’ names, I always look extra closely to make sure I spell them right.
- Xiran (most common)
- Xin
- Xinra
- Xinrad
That happened to my official documents too.
That’s why when I spell others’ names, I always look extra closely to make sure I spell them right.
The louder and more opinionated you are on social media, the more support and interest you'll attract.
But at the same time, you'll also draw more controversy.
The easiest way to avoid controversy is to say nothing, write nothing, and publish nothing.
But at the same time, you'll also draw more controversy.
The easiest way to avoid controversy is to say nothing, write nothing, and publish nothing.
April 23, 2025 at 12:04 PM
The louder and more opinionated you are on social media, the more support and interest you'll attract.
But at the same time, you'll also draw more controversy.
The easiest way to avoid controversy is to say nothing, write nothing, and publish nothing.
But at the same time, you'll also draw more controversy.
The easiest way to avoid controversy is to say nothing, write nothing, and publish nothing.
When you are unhappy:
- Sleep early
- Hit the gym
- Walk in the nature
You may feel better.
- Sleep early
- Hit the gym
- Walk in the nature
You may feel better.
April 22, 2025 at 2:53 PM
When you are unhappy:
- Sleep early
- Hit the gym
- Walk in the nature
You may feel better.
- Sleep early
- Hit the gym
- Walk in the nature
You may feel better.
Don’t let anxiety about what might happen in the future ruin the happiness and peace you could be enjoying right now.
“The present moment is all you ever have.”
“The present moment is all you ever have.”
April 21, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Don’t let anxiety about what might happen in the future ruin the happiness and peace you could be enjoying right now.
“The present moment is all you ever have.”
“The present moment is all you ever have.”
There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance.
Your job title, salary, talents, or skills don’t give you the right to be a jerk.
Your job title, salary, talents, or skills don’t give you the right to be a jerk.
April 16, 2025 at 4:22 PM
There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance.
Your job title, salary, talents, or skills don’t give you the right to be a jerk.
Your job title, salary, talents, or skills don’t give you the right to be a jerk.
"The more you write, the more you'll learn."
April 15, 2025 at 10:42 AM
"The more you write, the more you'll learn."
Go to bed early → More sleep → Feel recharged the next morning → Use the gym → Eat more → More energy during the day → Work more productively → Tired at night → Go to bed early
The positive cycle of going to bed early.
The positive cycle of going to bed early.
April 15, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Go to bed early → More sleep → Feel recharged the next morning → Use the gym → Eat more → More energy during the day → Work more productively → Tired at night → Go to bed early
The positive cycle of going to bed early.
The positive cycle of going to bed early.
We still hold a competitive edge over AI (at least for now).
- Knowing what looks good, and what doesn’t.
- Feeling what other humans feel and truly wanting to improve their lives.
- The wisdom passed down from our ancestors. The gut feelings that no algorithm can replicate.
- Knowing what looks good, and what doesn’t.
- Feeling what other humans feel and truly wanting to improve their lives.
- The wisdom passed down from our ancestors. The gut feelings that no algorithm can replicate.
April 14, 2025 at 11:27 AM
We still hold a competitive edge over AI (at least for now).
- Knowing what looks good, and what doesn’t.
- Feeling what other humans feel and truly wanting to improve their lives.
- The wisdom passed down from our ancestors. The gut feelings that no algorithm can replicate.
- Knowing what looks good, and what doesn’t.
- Feeling what other humans feel and truly wanting to improve their lives.
- The wisdom passed down from our ancestors. The gut feelings that no algorithm can replicate.
An observation after writing publicly for over 5 years:
The posts that gained the most traction weren’t the ones I spent a lot of time writing and refining.
They were usually written on impulse.
Triggered by a sudden burst of emotion or inspiration.
The posts that gained the most traction weren’t the ones I spent a lot of time writing and refining.
They were usually written on impulse.
Triggered by a sudden burst of emotion or inspiration.
April 13, 2025 at 7:40 PM
An observation after writing publicly for over 5 years:
The posts that gained the most traction weren’t the ones I spent a lot of time writing and refining.
They were usually written on impulse.
Triggered by a sudden burst of emotion or inspiration.
The posts that gained the most traction weren’t the ones I spent a lot of time writing and refining.
They were usually written on impulse.
Triggered by a sudden burst of emotion or inspiration.
