It's the Iteration, stupid!

I really enjoyed watching Eric Ries's presentation at the Web 2.0 Expo. His basic message is: make as many mistakes as you want, as long as you learn from them and don't wait too long until you correct them. He is talking about entrepreneurship, but that doesn't mean that the underlying principle is worthless for the average person. I say that we are all entrepreneurs in our own fields and therefore, his message is for everyone. It is not just start-ups that are facing extreme uncertainty. We are all coping with those kinds of situations on an everyday basis. Our health as well as personal and professional success are often dependent on variables that we cannot influence. But instead of us having sleepless nights over if we are going to get a job or end up on the street, Ries beautifully outlines how we can approach challenges that we face.

My last post was about putting an act out there to create a habit. And it is true that acting is more difficult than reacting, to have faith is more demanding than to have fear and to perceive one's life as an experiment seems straight out crazy. But here is why it's good. 

Firstly, it builds courage, because that is what it takes to start something. In a scientific experiment, one starts with a hypothesis and observes in lab if the assumptions hold or not. If not, the underlying paradigms have to be adjusted and new assumptions will have to be made. Through that kind of iteration cycle, we get a clearer idea about what really works and what does not. In the end, the understanding we have of the world is more refined and more precise than before. And although just doing things over and over again sounds easy in theory - it is at least twice as hard in practice. 

Because iteration always means failing. It always entails setbacks, disappointments and defeats. The question is and always will be: How strongly do you believe that one day you will achieve your goal and overcome the obstacles life has so meticulously put in your way? The whole process is very demanding as you must be willing to put an imperfect thing out there and see what the world does with it. 

In order to give an effective presentation, you will have to rehearse the things you say. The first time you do that, it will not be a pleasant experience. Stumbling upon your words, forgetting key information and being embarrassed because your friends/family are watching have never been very conducive to feeling like Super(wo-)man. But instead of trying to justify why your performance sucked, rather practice it a second time. Then a third time. Then try to say it without a cheat sheet in your hand. Then time yourself. And while you are doing this, think about your task as an experiment. Just observe - do not judge. Think of what your presentation can be if you have practiced enough. How much more effectively you can convey information. This is how one should think about failing. 

And at the end of the day, we have learned an important lesson. That iteration always means failing. And at the same time, if practiced with rigor - it will always mean improving.