There is a famous parable about a pottery class. The teacher splits the class into two groups.
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Group A (Quality): Graded on a single pot. It must be perfect.
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Group B (Quantity): Graded on weight. 50lbs of pots = A.
At the end of the semester, the best pots didn’t come from the “Quality” group. They came from the “Quantity” group. Why? While Group A sat around theorizing about the “Perfect Pot,” Group B was throwing clay, making mistakes, and learning. Group B had the Iteration Engine running. Group A was stuck in “Analysis Paralysis.”
The Trap of “Preparation”
Most people think they are working when they are “Planning” or “Researching.” In reality, they are procrastinating. You cannot improve a product that doesn’t exist. You cannot fix a strategy that hasn’t been tested.
The Protocol: Ship the Ugly Baby
To reach the Top 1%, you must embrace the V1.0 Mindset.
1. The “Good Enough” Launch
Do not wait until you are “Ready.” You will never be ready. Launch when you are embarrassed. If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you launched too late.
2. The Feedback Loop (Inspect and Adapt)
Once you ship, Reality hits you.
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Maybe customers hate the color.
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Maybe the code breaks.
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Maybe nobody cares. This is not “Failure.” This is Data. You cannot steer a parked car. You need momentum to get feedback.
3. The Pivot
Take the data. Fix the flaw. Ship V1.1. Repeat this 100 times. This is how Evolution works. Nature doesn’t plan; Nature iterates.
The Sovereign’s Edge
The amateur waits for the perfect map. The Sovereign starts walking and draws the map as they go.
#DhandheKaFunda: Version One is better than Version None. You can’t edit a blank page.