The disruption paralysis

How the idea that you’ve got to change the world leads to paralysis instead of action and inspiration.

Just like analysis paralysis — overthinking a situation so that no action is ever taken — is real, the general idea that you’ve got to change the world and disrupt things is equally paralyzing.

Making something useful is not enough anymore, you’ve got to change the world. Turn markets upside down. Dominate.

While it’s supposed to be a source of great inspiration and lead to action, it actually leads to chronic inaction since no idea is big enough or new enough.

Even the idea of a lifestyle business, which basically means living by your own terms (sounds good, no?), is looked down upon by many entrepreneurs, as if it wasn’t enough.

Yet, I’ve rarely felt something as satisfying as making something, no matter how revolutionary or non-revolutionary, getting it out there and have people use it. The kick is in the usefulness, in making someone’s life easier, in someone paying for your product. Not in the disruptiveness.

If there’s something that doing consulting taught me, it’s that 99% of business problems are really basic problems. None of them require disruption. They’re not always simple or easy problems, but for the most part they don’t require out-of-this-world solutions and thinking.

The chance we have today, especially with the Internet and software, is that the market is global. It’s possible to make something useful or offer a service for a tiny fraction of that market and turn a healthy profit along the way.

Plus, the toll on your wallet and mental health will be much lower.

Just go ahead and make stuff. No disruption needed.