Anyone can start.
In fact, it’s easier now than ever to start something. Websites are cheap, information is abundant, and the economy is shifting to embrace the freelancer lifestyle.
But, starting isn’t indicative of success. For exactly that reason, anyone can start. So even though we’re in the age when everyone gets a trophy, you won’t get much credit for starting. Starting 20 projects in a year doesn’t necessarily make you successful. Finishing 20 projects in a year, on the other hand, does.
Starting is crucial, please don’t mistake what I’m saying. At one point the tagline for this blog was, “How do you expect to finish if you never start?” I understand the importance of starting and I applaud anyone with the guts required to start. But don’t pat yourself on the back until you ship.
The most indicative trait of success is endurance.
To ship, you may have to endure financial hardships. You may have to outlast your competition. You may have to grind out projects you don’t want until the ones you do want come to fruition. You have to endure until you’re content (not satisfied) with your progress. And then you’ll have to endure some more.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
—Lao Tzu
Starting is important, but it is the first step. The good news is that it’s the hardest. In his fantastic little book, The Dip, Seth Godin says the time to question your idea is at the beginning, not in the middle. Don’t quit when you’re in the midst of the struggle, quit before you start. So that when you start, it is calculated. You start intentionally, not haphazardly. When you begin a project, you don’t just begin because you had a fleeting whim to create. Start because you’re ready to endure till the end.
