Beautiful Things: When Reality Consistently Exceeds Expectations
To sell something, first build something beautiful
In the world of software — in which I traffic — I often hear the phrases “quick and dirty,” “move fast and break things,” “fast cycle time,” “get it out there,” etc. Even the word “hack” (defined in the dictionary as ‘cut with rough or heavy blows’) now finds itself being celebrated as people tout their “hack”-ing credentials and participate in “hack”-athons.
Heck (or, should I say “hack”?) there is even a language called HACK. But whatever positive connotations this word may conjure up in your mind, a hack is not associated with something beautiful.
Beautiful things at minimum work as expected. Beautiful things require skill, labor of love and artistry. A will to persevere through challenges, and even small-minded bosses looking to get the next product out in a few days (or, hours, even).
Beautiful things require time. They require reflection.
Beautiful things require ownership. An owner who is so proud of their work that they are willing to (implicitly) sign it. A signature that proclaims to all, “I am proud of what I have built. I have given it my all.” An owner who is willing to fix any problems encountered because they believe in the quality of…
