The One Thing That Matters
Products appear in our lives unannounced — like a meal delivered by a waiter. These fully formed creations emerge effortlessly from an obscured kitchen for us to enjoy. We sample the dish, decide if we like or not, and move on the next idea that appears in consciousness. Rarely giving much thought to how the meal was made.
Given how we experience products (and restaurant entrees), the idea of the eureka moment [1], creation via a spontaneous spark of genius, can feel plausible, if not likely. In fact, the more a product excels in its design, the more it feels ordained — so obvious to us now that it must have been obvious all the time, at least to ‘geniuses’ like Wolfgang Puck or Julia Child.
Of course, innovative products often do begin with an idea or a unique perspective on the world. In fact, having conviction around an unpopular view is what Peter Thiel looks for in his investments — often asking potential founders, “What important truth do very few people agree with you on?”
Answering Mr. Thiel’s question may shine a light on an unappreciated potential future, but once you have your answer, the hard work begins. The idea is the 1% inspiration. What happens next is Edison’s oft-quoted 99% perspiration. Fair warning — the 99% is what you’re signing up for as a maker. Patience and persistence in equal parts to skill and taste.
In this labored land of the 99%, the essential ingredient is progress. Tiny victories provide the provisions needed for the long, arduous journey.
“Be satisfied with even the smallest progress, and treat the outcome it all as unimportant.” — Marcus Aurelius
Day by day, in the act of making, we move from something that isn’t quite right, towards something a bit more right. We don’t require leaps and bounds, just forward movement. Every small nudge helps to bring a product’s outlines into sharper relief. This how great work is built and as importantly, how a satisfying day is fashioned.
“Our research inside companies revealed that the best way to motivate people, day in and day out, is by facilitating progress.” — Teresa Amabile, The Progress Principle
Life is too short to be unsatisfied at work and the one thing that matters for both you and your product is that you move it ahead — you make progress. If you’re feeling down or in a rut, take a small step forward. Make some progress, any progress. You’ll be surprised how quickly the color of your day changes.
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Footnotes:
- The exclamation ‘Eureka!’ is attributed to the ancient Greek scholar Archimedes. He reportedly proclaimed “Eureka! Eureka!” after he had stepped into a bath and noticed that the water level rose, whereupon he suddenly understood that the volume of water displaced must be equal to the volume of the part of his body he had submerged. Source: Wikipedia.
