Let me start with the following quote by my all-time favorite YouTuber. It’s none other than Casey.
Ideas are cheap. Ideas are easy. Ideas are common. Everybody has ideas. Ideas are highly, highly overvalued. Execution is all that matters.”— Casey Neistat
Recently, a question related to Casey’s quote came to my mind: If the ideas are cheap, then why is the execution expensive?
My brain was thinking about so many things. For example, most common or abundant things are cheap.
It’s the rare factor that adds value.
But what about ideas? It’s the same thing.
Here is a tiny assignment.
If you have time right now, I recommend taking a long walk.
Essential:
absolutely no smartphone
no fancy headphones
Just you and the nature
45+ minutes
Alone
Optional
Long walk around the pond
Long walk in the mountains
First, thing in the morning or preferably when people are sleeping
I can guarantee you that after a 45-minute walk, your mind will come up with many ideas. Most of the time, these ideas are related to the content you consume or the problems you are trying to solve at work.
However, what if I say only a few ideas are worth it?
none, zero
An idea is only worth it when you are going to take action. We come up with many ideas every day, but the most crucial factor is always missing.
Execution!
I have a background in product management. Fortunately, I have learned how to launch a product and its essential components.
I remember my first lecture when the instructor said that any product has four stages of development.
Vision
Strategy
Design
Execution
Note:
If anything is important, I habitually create an acronym that sticks in my brain for a long time. In this case, I used VSDE, which stands for vision, strategy, design, and execution.
Our instructor said that a product is nothing until you take steps to launch it.
The execution part is essential. So many products die at the vision or strategy stage.
How many dreams die?
Just imagine how many times we have said that we will start this Monday, tomorrow, or the 1st of this month.
These three things are the absolute killer of our dreams.
That tomorrow will never come.
That Monday will come every week, but again, your brain will trick you. Oh, I have to work on this first. I need to learn this. Let's start the following Monday.
The first of each month works in the same way.
My life tranformed when I started to focus on the execution part rather than always contemplating the vision, strategy, and design parts.
It also reminds me that if your product is too perfect, you are already late.
Your competitor is way ahead of you.
It does not matter what’s on your mind for years.
Did you start it?
Did you give your 100% on the execution part?
Or
You are still learning the skill and telling yourself you are not ready. First, you need to take this course or attend this seminar.
Everyone knows Seth Godin; the gentleman is a prolific writer. He ships every single day. It is easy to reach him, and he probably reply to you. But if you ask him to help you with your craft, for example, writing, podcasting, or anything else you’re working on,
He will ask you to show me what you did in the last 100 days.
Have you produced 100 articles?
Have you produced 100 videos?
I got stuck thinking, “I will start tomorrow,” for a long time.
I always thought I needed to learn a lot first, but in reality, you need to start documenting your journey along the way.
Don’t worry about showing your work in public. In the past couple of years, as a content creator, I have learned that most people are nice and truly want to help you grow.
Only 10% are rotten eggs. You won’t need to worry about those eggs. They are actually part of your growth, too. You can still think that there is a lot of room to improve.
Focus on the rest of the 90%. I also learned that no single company in the world can create a product that makes everyone happy. It’s not your job to make everyone happy.
What is your job?
Keep showing up every day
Keep sharing
Keep experimenting
Along the way, you will learn that your fear of what people will say will go away, and the only thing you will be focusing on is whether you executed this new idea.
Why is it taking so much time?
No one can win you if you are playing the execution game on your terms.
You are showing up every day.
You are executing your ideas and shipping your products.
Trust me, and along the way, you will learn.
Let me know if you have any stories regarding the execution part.
All the best
Stay humble & keep learning!
I send this email weekly. If you would also like to receive it, join the other curious people who absolutely love it today.
👉 If you enjoy reading this post, feel free to share it with your family & friends! Or feel free to click the ❤️ button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack 🙏