decisions. Don’t wait for the perfect solution. Decide and move forward.
You want to get into the rhythm of making choices. When you get in that flow of making decision after decision, you build momentum and boost morale. Decisions are progress. Each one you make is a brick in your foundation. You can’t build on top of “We’ll decide later,” but you can build on top of “Done.”
The problem comes when you postpone decisions in the hope that a perfect answer will come to you later. It won’t. You’re as likely to make a great call today as you are tomorrow.
An example from our world: For a long time, we avoided creating an affiliate program for our products because the “perfect” solution seemed way too complicated: We’d have to automate payments, mail out checks, figure out foreign tax laws for overseas affiliates, etc. The breakthrough came when we asked, “What can we easily do right now that’s good enough?” The answer: Pay affiliates in credit instead of cash. So that’s what we did.
We stuck with that approach for a while and then eventually implemented a system that pays cash. And that’s a big part of this: You don’t have to live with a decision forever. If you make a mistake, you can correct it later.
It doesn’t matter how much you plan, you’ll still get some stuff wrong anyway. Don’t make things worse by overanalyzing and delaying before you even get going.
Long projects zap morale. The longer it takes to develop, the less likely it is to launch. Make the call, make progress, and get something out now—while you’ve got the motivation and momentum to do so.
Be a curator
You don’t make a great museum by putting all the art in the world into a single room. That’s a warehouse. What makes a museum great is the stuff that’s not on the walls. Someone says no. A curator is involved, making conscious decisions about what should stay and what should go. There’s an editing process. There’s a lot more stuff off the walls than on the walls. The best is a sub-sub-subset of all the possibilities.
It’s the stuff you leave out that matters. So constantly look for things to remove, simplify, and streamline. Be a curator. Stick to what’s truly essential. Pare things down until you’re left with only the most important stuff. Then do it again. You can always add stuff back in later if you need to.
Zingerman’s is one of America’s best-known delis. And it got that way because its owners think of themselves as curators. They’re not just filling their shelves. They’re curating them.
There’s a reason for every olive oil the team at Zingerman’s sells: They believe each one is great. Usually, they’ve known the supplier for years. They’ve visited and picked olives with them. That’s why they can vouch for each oil’s authentic, full-bodied flavor.
For example, look how the owner of Zingerman’s describes Pasolivo Olive Oil on the company Web site:
I tasted this oil for the first time years ago, on a random recommendation and sample. There are plenty of oils that come in nice bottles with very endearing stories to tell—this was no exception—but most simply aren’t that great. By contrast Pasolivo got my attention as soon as I tasted it. It’s powerful, full and fruity. Everything I like in an oil, without any drawbacks. It still stands as one of America’s best oils, on par with the great rustic oils of Tuscany. Strongly recommended. *
The owner actually tried the oil and chooses to carry it based on its taste. It’s not about packaging, marketing, or price. It’s about quality. He tried it and knew his store had to carry it. That’s the approach you should take too.
Throw less at the problem
Watch chef Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and you’ll see a pattern. The menus at failing restaurants offer too many dishes. The owners think making every dish under the sun will broaden the appeal of the restaurant. Instead it makes for crappy food (and
You want to get into the rhythm of making choices. When you get in that flow of making decision after decision, you build momentum and boost morale. Decisions are progress. Each one you make is a brick in your foundation. You can’t build on top of “We’ll decide later,” but you can build on top of “Done.”
The problem comes when you postpone decisions in the hope that a perfect answer will come to you later. It won’t. You’re as likely to make a great call today as you are tomorrow.
An example from our world: For a long time, we avoided creating an affiliate program for our products because the “perfect” solution seemed way too complicated: We’d have to automate payments, mail out checks, figure out foreign tax laws for overseas affiliates, etc. The breakthrough came when we asked, “What can we easily do right now that’s good enough?” The answer: Pay affiliates in credit instead of cash. So that’s what we did.
We stuck with that approach for a while and then eventually implemented a system that pays cash. And that’s a big part of this: You don’t have to live with a decision forever. If you make a mistake, you can correct it later.
It doesn’t matter how much you plan, you’ll still get some stuff wrong anyway. Don’t make things worse by overanalyzing and delaying before you even get going.
Long projects zap morale. The longer it takes to develop, the less likely it is to launch. Make the call, make progress, and get something out now—while you’ve got the motivation and momentum to do so.
Be a curator
You don’t make a great museum by putting all the art in the world into a single room. That’s a warehouse. What makes a museum great is the stuff that’s not on the walls. Someone says no. A curator is involved, making conscious decisions about what should stay and what should go. There’s an editing process. There’s a lot more stuff off the walls than on the walls. The best is a sub-sub-subset of all the possibilities.
It’s the stuff you leave out that matters. So constantly look for things to remove, simplify, and streamline. Be a curator. Stick to what’s truly essential. Pare things down until you’re left with only the most important stuff. Then do it again. You can always add stuff back in later if you need to.
Zingerman’s is one of America’s best-known delis. And it got that way because its owners think of themselves as curators. They’re not just filling their shelves. They’re curating them.
There’s a reason for every olive oil the team at Zingerman’s sells: They believe each one is great. Usually, they’ve known the supplier for years. They’ve visited and picked olives with them. That’s why they can vouch for each oil’s authentic, full-bodied flavor.
For example, look how the owner of Zingerman’s describes Pasolivo Olive Oil on the company Web site:
I tasted this oil for the first time years ago, on a random recommendation and sample. There are plenty of oils that come in nice bottles with very endearing stories to tell—this was no exception—but most simply aren’t that great. By contrast Pasolivo got my attention as soon as I tasted it. It’s powerful, full and fruity. Everything I like in an oil, without any drawbacks. It still stands as one of America’s best oils, on par with the great rustic oils of Tuscany. Strongly recommended. *
The owner actually tried the oil and chooses to carry it based on its taste. It’s not about packaging, marketing, or price. It’s about quality. He tried it and knew his store had to carry it. That’s the approach you should take too.
Throw less at the problem
Watch chef Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and you’ll see a pattern. The menus at failing restaurants offer too many dishes. The owners think making every dish under the sun will broaden the appeal of the restaurant. Instead it makes for crappy food (and
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