I was browsing around on the Quantified Self website and saw these nice easy tips / lessons learned on QS, but clearly these are 100% applicable to software development (and practically any aspect of life). They are pretty obvious points, but worth reminding yourself of now and then, especially when you're as easily distracted as I am :-)
Something is better than nothing. Engaging yourself in some experiment, no matter how flawed it may be, is better than never starting. The best way to learn is to do. So go out and do something!
When you decide to start something try and do the simplest thing that you think might give you some insight. It’s great to have ambitious ideas, but keeping it simple ensures your experiment is manageable.
Mistakes are worthwhile. Some of our best knowledge comes from learning from our failures so don’t be afraid of failing. By keeping it simple you also keep the mistakes small and manageable.