Don’t Get Tricked Into This Habit
There are certain things that have inherent qualities.I hear people talk talk about the inherent educational qualities in LEGO toys and MINECRAFT, the block-based video game.While there are some inherent values, like helping kids develop spatial reasoning skills, most of the value is hidden from sight.
It lies in the transferability of the lessons you learn to the real world.
Kids “mine” for resources in MINECRAFT. They can then spend those resources on new mining tools, build a house, or whatever else they can think up.They tricky part here is that they are practicing “budgeting” and resource management without realizing it.It takes an extra second for a mentor, parent, or teacher to explain how this skill can be transferred to the real world, but somehow many of us skip this step, expecting the toy or the game to just work this magic on its own.It’s this guidance and practice of application to the real world that will make all the difference whether you are a student, teacher, employer, or employee.
It will 10x your results.
This is a critical “learn” part of the “Build. Measure. Learn.” cycle from the Lean Model coined by Eric Ries.Instead of waiting for something to work on its own, take ownership and see how you can practice applying what you’ve learned to other parts of your life.Dont get tricked into thinking the full value of the product or service is already 100% baked inside.
2 Minute Action
What’s something that you’re doing really well in your life right now?In what other part of your life might you try this approach?
Here are some quick ideas:
LEGO is all about breaking large, complex models into small, buildable chunks. Saving for retirement is a huge, high-stress task that can be made much easier by saving small chunks over time.MINECRAFT is all about scrounging the right resources and learning from the online community. If you’re thinking about starting a company or embarking on a new career, connecting with others who are on that track might help inform your decision and get you up to speed on the consequences.
What Is Version 1 and Why Does It Matter?
There’s something weird that happens when you start.It doesn’t have to make sense or be what you planned.
You don’t even have to have a plan at all.
All that matters is that you build something, measure results, and learn something from them.The value of this cycle only kicks in when you have a hypothesis about what went wrong with what you built, and you begin the next building phase just a little bit smarter.
Build, measure, learn.
In that order.Most people can get behind this idea but somehow still find themselves too afraid or unable to start.It’s not about building what you have in your mind.It’s about building SOMEthing.If you’re not embarrassed by who you were 6 months ago, you’re not learning fast enough.
The world is out there, turning.
Your pace is up to you.Maybe you don’t have a million dollar software startup that recommends music playlists to people on the first day.But if you called a friend and asked them what music they liked, and then made a suggestion, you’d be beating someone who is still fussing around with what programming language to start with.The only thing you need to have a business is a paying customer.The only thing you need to do is start adding value.The only thing you need to do is start!
2 Minute Action:
What are you waiting for permission to do?Are you waiting for someone else to pick you?Could you just make a phone call?Could you just apply?Could you just direct message a few people?Could you pilot your idea with a prototype instead of going to a fancy printer?Could you do a wireframe or a mock-up, first?Can you draw it on a napkin or notebook?These are all small “version 1” iterations that can help you build momentum to move you forward with confidence.I can only help ask the questions you can ask yourself later.Your action is up to you.