Seth Godin makes the case that having great ideas is not difficult. “Shipping” them – actually getting them done and out – is the hard part, and the important part.
Shipping is not just hard because it takes a lot of work, but also because it’s scary. It’s our shipped stuff that will be judged, and – as opposed to our brilliant ideas – the finished product will never be perfect.
I can relate to that very well, because almost everything that I ever accomplished in my life required me to get out of my comfort zone – not only the big projects, but even the daily little shippings, like sending emails, or posting stuff to this very blog.
So how can we do it?
- Commit to delivering on time. For bigger projects, set your own deadlines earlier than the date you really want to be finished, and set deadlines for steps along the way.
- Get into a routine. Protect regular time in your schedule to work on the important stuff. I find early mornings best for not getting interrupted or distracted.
- Once the shipping date gets closer: embrace the fear. Being aware that shipping is scary is the first step in overcoming our excuses. Also, notice that fear and excitement can feel very similar to our bodies. Oftentimes, when we experience fear, we would have just as much reason for excitement. (“I have this opportunity to give a talk in front of 200 people! How exciting!!” “I’m ready to ship now! Wohooo!!”)
What do you want to ship? When is your deadline, and what will be your best scheduling routine? And what’s your fear, and your excitement?
