What’s better?
To arrive early and realize you are at the wrong restaurant? Or arrive late but make it to the correct diner?
I’m going with the latter. But many of us subconsciously picked the first.
We overvalue action without thinking. We rush things just to achieve our artificial goals or deadlines. While never actually figuring out if we are on the right path.
It’s about going slow, to go fast.
If I want to create a product, I’m not going to build it as quickly as possible. That’s not the goal; anyone can achieve that.
I want to make a product my audience desires, which will take time. It will require talking to people, testing my hypotheses, learning, and pivoting.
It will seem slow at the start, but it will allow you to go fast later instead of building a product quickly that no one wants.
So, what’s the key to avoiding this mistake? Open your damn ears and close your mouth.
We think we have all the answers. We’re the subject expert. We’re the coder building the product.
But the answer is out there in the maze of people. And the only way to find the solution is to listen.
That’s why I believe listening is a superpower in business and innovation.
“So many startups are playing a game of hurry up and wait — sprinting to get somewhere only to later realize it wasn’t even the right destination. Sometimes you have to go slow to move quickly. Investing time into listening to your colleagues or getting to know your users often ends up being a quicker path to success.” — From The Art of Becoming a Better Listener — Tactical Advice for the Startup Setting.
Yes, it’s counterintuitive to go slow to go fast. It’s easier to believe we have the answer than to listen to others.
But through listening and being open to change, we can create something better. Isn’t that what creating is about?
Building something people want?Â
Rather than building something quickly that no one wants?
🧠+ ❤️ // JO