An experiment in oversimplification (just to see what happens).
When I left my office job almost two years ago, it was an adjustment on many levels. Honestly, it still is. I was there for eleven years so I became used to the process without even knowing it.
When I left, and decided to start Magic Room Brand soon thereafter, I knew I had to rewire my way of thinking, my expectations, and my processes for getting things done. If I wanted to build a business from scratch, I needed to learn how to get out of my own way. Wherever I went, there I was, always in my own way.
So I decided to oversimplify everything. I whittled every task down to a simple, straight-forward, two-step process.
Step 1) Figure out what needs to be done.
Step 2) F***ing do it.
That’s it. Really. All of it. I’m serious.
Ok ok ok. I know. That first one is a big one, and there’s probably substeps 1a through 1zzz that detail when it needs to be done, with whom, how, etc. I get it, but that’s not what we’re doing. We can slice this up and add detail and nuances to this for days, but that’s the exact opposite of what this experiment’s philosophy is all about.
For reals, you guys. Stay with me on this. Two steps:
- Figure out what needs to be done.
- F***ing do it.
Think it’s not that simple? Yeah, maybe not. But also, what if it is?
At the very least, having this overly simplified mindset has helped me recognize those times where I used to create obstacles for myself. Now, I see those moments while I am in them and know to get the hell out of my way.
Is this a universal idea that will work for everyone and everything? Probably not, but also…what if it can?
I encourage you to join this experiment and see what it does for you. Thinking things through is a good habit, but we all know that it’s also possible to think too much. Overthinking often leads to reasons not to do something. Someone smarter than I explained that phenomenon citing that humans are always trying to protect themselves from the unknown.
For me, it’s an every_single_day struggle to not create my own obstacles. But it’s been a productive exercise. Starting a business from scratch is hard enough – no need to complicate it any more.
Get out of your own way and see where you can go.
“A ship in harbor is safe — but that is not what ships are for.”
#bewhatyoumake
