The Preparation Prison
The educaton system teaches us to prepare for everything except the moment we have to take a leap. After years of classes, degrees, courses and ‘getting ready’ we realize the lie: that we need a permission to go our own way.
The Action Paradox
Definition:
A minimum viable product (MVP) is a version of a product with just enough features to be usable by early customers who can then provide feedback for future product development.
The preparation trap
Distraction from the autopilot living of:
- salary dependence
- media and social media
- drugs, alcohol
- school, university
plus the fear of exiting the system for a moment make us think we are not ready for bigger things in life, be that the path of our domain of mastery, business or starting a family. In this post (and whole post-series) we will focus on the business.
The system keeps us learning without doing, and we probably end up highly specialized → with little to no experience. Let’s observe the two ways to make something happen.
Following the MVP creation, a product, service or other type of help for someone should be delivered, and when the feedback comes → then we learn, and we know exactly what to improve.
In the second scenario, we have a thought of creating something, maybe the area in which it will be, and then learn about it, take courses, pass exams, get experience on job, prepare for a bit, plan really good, then take another course, create first draft of a product, want to improve it but… wait a minut, where is the product? Where is the feedback from customers? Is the product even relevant after so many years?
The paradox
It seems as the longer we follow the path others set, the more lost we are. The more we follow our path while feeling lost the more direction in life we have.
Let me put this in terms that make the choice crystal clear. We will check some statements – or should we call them formulae to use the language of mathematics 🫦
If: CLEAR PATH LAID OUT → UNCERTAINTY
Then: ACTION IN SPITE OF UNCERTAINTY → CLARITY
Disclaimer: this is not a call to act reckless.
Why shoud we go this way?
Well we started with wanted statement
H0: CLEAR PATH LAID OUT → CERTAINTY (and/or satisfaction)
so negation of that is
not H0: CLEAR PATH LAID OUT → UNCERTAINTY (and/or dissatisfaction)
and if you continue reading, I assume you are pretty sure H0 does not work for you. Changing our strategy (left part) leads us to the following hypothesis
H1: ACTION IN SPITE OF UNCERTAINTY → CLARITY (and/or satisfaction).
So, WHY should we go this way?
Action in spite of uncertainty may lead to
- succeding in what we want
- failing at what we want
Both are good, as they lead to learning, changing our course, and moving on. The failure outside the system teach what success inside never can.
Repeating the same thing that does not work will lead to
- that same thing
So, if H0 works for you → congrats, you made it. Otherwise there is no reason to continue using that strategy. If something consistently does not work over years, and there is no reason for it to work → it will probably not work in next few years. The worst decision is to remain indecisive.
In other words, for you there is no option besides H1.
The fastest way to go your own way
…is to ask yourself the simple question: “What do I want in life?”. Then do the simplest thing you can in that direction. So two things are important for da thing
- has to get us closer to where we want (significant move in wanted direction)
- has to be simple → complete in few hours/days
If your intuition tells you the path might be right → put consistent work on that for non-trivial amount of time. Then you can analyze the path taken, whether that or similar paths are worth pursuing. Most importantly → you have some experience, know some people in the area, know what does not work and if you are luck what does work.
Before getting your hand dirty → you do not deserve the preparation, optimization, it will mostly be a waste of time.
Example 1
Here is an example. Let’s say I want to learn to become a master in playing the guitar. Do I
- a) Enroll for 5 year music academy in some city, rent an appartment in that city, go in debt to buy a fender stratocaster and Martin guitars and then start learning the music theory, the history of music and on 4th year be sure enough I can play the songs I like to play, maybe produce my own songs.
- b) Buy some cheap guitar form local music shop, watch few youtube videos on how to press the string, and two three chords and learn one easy song.
In path a) you are deep into shit you are not sure it is right, and if you change your mind on third year… bro. In path b) you are the master of your pursuit, you can go on street and play for few months, each weekend learn new thing and practice it the following week. You will have first hand experience, play what you like → are able to find jamming partner or go to academy if you want, and most importantly do what you want.
Example 2
Another example – this what I do now.
I want to learn business. Should I:
- a) Spend 30k a year to go to business school, learn all about marketing, sales, R&D, taxes, laws, logo design, brands, accounting, negotiations, and after few years have zero experience
- b) Find what is missing on the market, a problem to solve, speed up somebodys tasks, or create a cheaper solution to somebodys problem and creat a simple product/service that might solve the need. Then observe, fix, try again, or throw into garbage.
What is the difference? In first path I invested a lot of money to learn a bunch of stuff I might or might not need before even launching the product. In second path I learn minimal amount of stuff, launch the product, and learn, improve it on the go → with customer feedback instead of a textbook.
It seems like massive investment for minimal result vs. minimal investment for gradually increasing results.
Research papers agree on this: active learning is superior to passive learning.
To sum up the reasons for MVP
MVP is directed towards action not excessive planning and redundant perfectionism in early stage of development
- nudge you towards creation and not consumption
- defense against staying in the “preparation” mode
The question is: are you holding something inside because you are ‘not ready’?