3 months ago, I was the perfect procrastinator.
I was waiting for the perfect idea to land in my mind. Like a key that aligns all cylinders, I stood wondering how I could change the world If only I had the money.
After 70 days of writing, I learned that perfection is the enemy of achievement.
Here are 3 lessons I learned:
#1 – Perfectionism blocks learning
“The person who fails the most, wins.”
Seth Godin
People with the big idea bet the whole budget.
What happens if the big idea is nothing special? That 5,000 words essay where you spent the night? That book you wrote and no one outside your family read? Learning to fail small is the way to success.
Success is achieved with a small bet. The market builds outstanding products.
#2 – Perfectionism block customer’s understanding
“Perfection is the enemy of progress.”
Winston Churchill
You have “that” idea. Who cares about what the others think?
The marketer Kano developed the idea of “Delight”. You have to focus on what the customer wants without ever thinking about it. But are you sure you know what does the customer want?
The great product comes digging into the customer’s reaction.
#3 – Perfectionism blocks action
“Plans are nothing; planning is everything.”
Dwight Eisenhower
In my first cohort for Ship 30 for 30, I planned to write about vision.
I changed my company thanks to my vision. But good ideas arrive when you are not looking for them. It happened that when I started to talk about leadership skills applied as a parent, I saw a lot of engagement.
That’s when the People Garden was born.
Photo by Kaboompics on Pixabay