Produce More, Consume Less
Long-term thinking yields greater results. But short-term results feel more urgent.
I get caught up in coming up with my next endeavor to make a quick buck on the side. I need to stop chasing the quick money and start investing in an asset for the long-term.
I like building websites and working with software. How can I leverage those skills to build a product? Consistent execution is paramount. Anyone can find an idea, but the execution is what counts.
Brainstorming ideas is something I enjoy doing. I have long lists of ideas. I've talked with friends and family about several of them. I've been known to jump from idea to idea, hobby to hobby.
Sometimes I generate ideas based on what I think people want. Other times I generate ideas based on problem I have encountered. But how do I choose the best idea?
You can usually find advice to back up your point. For example, I've heard advice that says to work toward something you enjoy doing. But I've also heard advice to work on something people want even if it's not your passion. I think both can be right, but you get my point.
There are many success stories on both sides. This is where I struggle. I'm not so concerned with my ability to execute on an idea. I think I can figure out whatever tech I need to for most ideas.
What paralyzes me is picking which idea to pursue. I get stuck thinking about sinking months into a project that flops. I believe I need to get past this mindset.
Ultimately, I'm going to learn a great deal simply by attempting to build a customer-worthy product. The worst case scenario is that I come out the other side with more experience. Best case is the project does really well and I build a product people are willing to pay for.
I know I'm not the only one who falls into analysis paralysis. For anyone else who needs to hear this, become an action-biased person. When you feel you're spinning your wheels overthinking something, jump in and take action. You can always course correct later.
And let's all try to spend less time on social media, shall we? That's my shameless plug to consume less and produce more.
Brian DeVries
Thanks for reading! Shoot me an email with your thoughts or just to say hello.