Thinking Out Loud

Are you doing a lot but not achieving as much as you’d expect?

It’s like treading water. You invest a lot of energy but never get far.

If you want to achieve the most in the least amount of time, you should stick to only doing what’s essential to reaching your goal. [2 min read]

Growth comes when users (clients, customers, buyers) find meaning in what you are selling.

You create an idea. It has an essence – what makes it work. You create a product or a service by deciphering the essence of your idea and implementing it in a way that’s meaningful to the target audience. [1 min read]

It’s simple, but not easy. I’ll get to that shortly.

I own a Japanese tea bowl I like to use for drinking my coffee. It’s not much suited to drinking from when full, but I still love drinking my coffee from it.

The first couple of times drinking from this bowl, I spilled some coffee. I know why, and I know that slowing down when drinking solves this problem. Still, it happened 2-3 times before this knowledge became ingrained enough to be used without conscious thought. [1-2 min read]

What is the one thing you can do that costs you no money, and will significantly improve your chances for success? [2 min read]

Your time is most valuable. Deciding and committing to taking your idea and making it real, takes years, sometimes decades.

During this journey, you’ll have to stay focused. Daily you’ll face options you should refuse. [1 min read]

You have probably heard about the 10,000-hour rule created by Malcolm Gladwell in his book “Outliers: The Story of Success.”

Gladwell proposes that the key to success is doing the thing (e.g., practice) in the right amount (10,000 hours).

Execution – doing – is vital for success.

I used the word “created” above on purpose. It is based on real research done by Anders Ericsson, but the way Malcolm Gladwell presents it in his book is not precise. [1-2 min read]

You need ideas to innovate. Creating ideas is the easier part. Then you need to decide if your idea is good, if it fulfills its purpose to the target audience.

How do you know which ones are good? Even if your idea is good, how do you know if (and how) you can make it better? [1 min read]

As an entrepreneur, wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t have any competition?

Making decisions is very similar. The difference is, when you are a buyer, you need to buy into one option among the many that exist and compete for your favor. Or do you?! [1-2 min read]

Not knowing is the normal constant state. For most decisions in life, you will not have a full context of knowledge – even if the evidence is overwhelmingly conclusive to be sure in your decision. [1 min read]

Did you ever experience these two feelings?

1. You try something (usually new), and by the looks of it, even before you try doing it, you have confidence that you can do it. You are convinced you are better than most people at it (even though you never tried it before). Many times you are right.
2. You are about to do something you feel won’t go right. You think that most people are somehow better at it than you. You try it, and mostly your prediction of failure comes true. [1 min read]

You have a goal. Now you think and plan how to achieve it. Most commonly, you try and build a linear progression from one step to the next, and trust that it will get you to the end goal you seek. [1 min read]

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” — Michelangelo

As an entrepreneur, you are also an artist. Michelangelo had knowledge and skill, both from studying and experience. You have your own capabilities also from studying and doing, gaining experience. [1 min read]