Stop overthinking…Just stop.
Make the first move, the important move.
Original post from www.mhonorato.com
Two weeks ago we launched the first Closed Beta version of SlidePick…It was fucking scary!
Next semester I will suspend college…It’s fucking scary!
Each decision passed through a long thinking process…Too long I’ve to say.
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. -Martin Luther King, Jr.
The first step is the most difficult one, but also one of the most important…
Breaking boundaries
The road haven’t being easy.
As a first time founder, without any technical skill or experiences (Just a vision and the willingness to work my ass off) The biggest obstacle I had to deal with, was to reset my way of thinking, my way to work, my beliefs about creativity, education and how to start a business (Building a growth mindset) my aproach to failure and life.
I knew that f I continued the “Common way” of doing things, I would probably end being just another dead company in the first year, just another entrepreneur smashed by reality…What the hell happened with all I have learned in school and college!? What about what society expect from us? (To be responded soon)
I had to make some changes, not only for the good of my startup, also for my own good. This is when doubts and fears started to haunting me…What if SidePick is bullshit? What if I suck? I didn’t felt ready or perfect, either me or my startup.
But as Scott Belsky said “Sometimes it’s best to launch a product before it’s perfect. I call this acting without conviction. You may be uncertain — and some things may remain unfinished — but you’ve got to push it out. The reasons are both practical and psychological.”
If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late. — Reid Hoffman
So I decided to take the risk, assume the responsibilities that this means and take a leap of faith…Eventhough my inexpertise and fear, I pressed the launch button.
A step toward the truth
I have to admit it was, and it is, fucking scary as I said before. Dealing with this uncertainty is not easy, but at the same is the fuel to work, as hard as you can, in the search of making real your ideas and dreams.
“When I’m old and dying, I plan to look back on my life and say ‘wow, that was an adventure,’ not ‘wow, I sure felt safe.’ — Tom Preston-Werner
This change my perception of what I was doing completly, and how I should continue doing so.
In the practical way, I started gathering real information and data about SlidePick and my contribution as a entrepreneur . I started to know which assumptions were right and which needed to be changed. The validation process passed from “possibilities” to real actions and metrics, so now I can focus my work on a much more clear path and set new goals according to this.
In the other hand, on the psychological level, this was absolutly the right decision. Once you made that little step, you start thinking different about your product and yourself. You realize that you are out there in the world, that you are affecting and changing in some ways the life of other persons, with your startup and with your actions.
You start improving more, you start creating more, making and thinking about greater things. Changing and evolving to something better, even if you fail trying…At least I tryed, at least you tryed.
That’s inspiring for me and others.
If you reflect on who you were six months ago and don’t feel even slightly embarrassed by that person, you aren’t growing. You’re stagnant. -@nxpatel
So here I’m, learning by doing, learning by failing, learning by the feedbacks and comments of others…A continuous loop of experimentation, iterations and growth.
A process where, me and my startup, have walked hand by hand. A process of becoming better versions of ourselves, making little steps toward the pursuit of truth.
What happens next? That’s the beauty of this adventure…Something I will be writing and sharing about.
P.S. If you found value in this article, it would mean a lot to me if you hit the share recommend and I would love to hear your comments!
I would love to catch up with you and know about your experience! @mati_honorato or at mhonorato@slidepick.com
Any grammar, spelling or punctuation mistake, please let me know. So I can keep improving my english…my best to all of you!
