just because it's "simple" doesn't mean it won't take work.
Reading through some comments on yCombinator’s “hacker news” board tonight (which my previous post was just featured on, welcome new readers/subscribers), I dove into a thread about a post I’d read earlier in the day by 37Signals about some of their early guerrilla marketing techniques that they used to generate buzz around their products, ideas, and methodologies.
The comments struck me as interesting: readers were talking a decent amount of smack, as commenters tend to, both on 37 Signals as well as yCombinator‘s co-founder, Paul Graham. The smack centered around the notion that the 37S team, as well as Graham, were notorious for writing about how “easy” it was to be successful.
Interesting, I thought. These people don’t like being told something will be easy. Personally, I’d find that motiviating to try that thing that someone told me was easy. Maybe that’s just my entreprenurial spirit.
“That sounds easy/appealing. I can totally do that”. Who among us hasn’t at least thought that.
I guess my thought was really simply that yes…it is easy, if you get past step 0 of actually deciding to do it in the first place. Which, if you REALLY read into 37Signals’ message, you’ll realize, that’s the point. Just get going.
The rest really is easy, if nothing else, by comparison to the first step.
Uploaded by massdistraction on 15 Jul 07, 10.55PM EDT.It’s like going to the gym. I’d be ripped if I would just go in the first place.
The next most difficult part to the first step is keeping up your momentum.
Stretching your “stay inspired” muscles.
Toning your “remain motivated” muscles.
Working your “don’t stagnate” muscles.
Flexing your “continually learn” muscles.
That’s all a lot of work.
But, if you’re headed down the so called right path, it’ll feel easy. Because even though it is work, if you’re working smarter instead of harder, it probably won’t feel like work.
And if it does, you’re not flexing those muscles often enough. Or you’re working the wrong muscle groups.
Oh, those inevitable cramps you’re feeling?
Quit your whining and get back to the gym.
Great post Alex. The most important thing to do is just show up. The rest will take care of itself.
Nice work, as always.
I like the statements, “But, if you’re headed down the so called right path, it’ll feel easy.” and “Or you’re working the wrong muscle groups.”
I find that if I am engaged in alignment with what I am passionate about then I can’t even find enough time to do all the things that I am excited, sometimes even thrilled, to do. And I will see a myriad of low hanging fruit and obvious right next steps.
Making sure I devote my energies to that which energizes me the most ensures the “easiest” process. Even if on the outside the easiest process may look like the most busy and consuming.