Rework ( PDFDrive )

["Embrace\tconstraints \\\"I\t don't\t have\t enough\t time\/money\/people\/experience.\\\"\t Stop\t whining.\t Less\t is\t a good\tthing.\tConstraints\tare\tadvantages\tin\tdisguise.\tLimited\tresources\tforce\tyou to\tmake\tdo\twith\twhat\tyou've\tgot.\tThere's\tno\troom\tfor\twaste.\tAnd\tthat\tforces\tyou to\tbe\tcreative. Ever\tseen\tthe\tweapons\tprisoners\tmake\tout\tof\tsoap\tor\ta\tspoon?\tThey\tmake\tdo with\t what\t they've\t got.\t Now\t we're\t not\t saying\t you\t should\t go\t out\t and\t shank somebody--but\tget\tcreative\tand\tyou'll\tbe\tamazed\tat\twhat\tyou\tcan\tmake\twith\tjust a\tlittle. Writers\tuse\tconstraints\tto\tforce\tcreativity\tall\tthe\ttime.\tShakespeare\treveled\tin the\tlimitations\tof\tsonnets\t(fourteen-line\tlyric\tpoems\tin\tiambic\tpentameter\twith\ta specific\t rhyme\t scheme).\t Haiku\t and\t limericks\t also\t have\t strict\t rules\t that\t lead\t to creative\tresults.\tWriters\tlike\tErnest\tHemingway\tand\tRaymond\tCarver\tfound\tthat forcing\tthemselves\tto\tuse\tsimple,\tclear\tlanguage\thelped\tthem\tdeliver\tmaximum impact. The\t Price\t Is\t Right,\t the\t longest-running\t game\t show\t in\t history,\t is\t also\t a\t great example\tof\tcreativity\tborn\tfrom\tembracing\tconstraints.\tThe\tshow\thas\tmore\tthan a\t hundred\t games,\t and\t each\t one\t is\t based\t on\t the\t question\t \\\"How\t much\t does\t this item\tcost?\\\"\tThat\tsimple\tformula\thas\tattracted\tfans\tfor\tmore\tthan\tthirty\tyears. Southwest--unlike\t most\t other\t airlines,\t which\t fly\t multiple\t aircraft\t models-- flies\t only\t Boeing\t 737s.\t As\t a\t result,\t every\t Southwest\t pilot,\t flight\t attendant,\t and ground-crew\tmember\tcan\twork\tany\tflight.\tPlus,\tall\tof\tSouthwest's\tparts\tfit\tall\tof its\t planes.\t All\t that\t means\t lower\t costs\t and\t a\t business\t that's\t easier\t to\t run.\t They made\tit\teasy\ton\tthemselves. When\t we\t were\t building\t Basecamp,\t we\t had\t plenty\t of\t limitations.\t We\t had\t a design\t firm\t to\t run\t with\t existing\t client\t work,\t a\t seven-hour\t time\t difference between\t principals\t (David\t was\t doing\t the\t programming\t in\t Denmark,\t the\t rest\t of us\t were\t in\t the\t States),\t a\t small\t team,\t and\t no\t outside\t funding.\t These\t constraints forced\tus\tto\tkeep\tthe\tproduct\tsimple. These\tdays,\twe\thave\tmore\tresources\tand\tpeople,\tbut\twe\tstill\tforce\tconstraints. We\t make\t sure\t to\t have\t only\t one\t or\t two\t people\t working\t on\t a\t product\t at\t a\t time. And\t we\t always\t keep\t features\t to\t a\t minimum.\t Boxing\t ourselves\t in\t this\t way prevents\tus\tfrom\tcreating\tbloated\tproducts. So\tbefore\tyou\tsing\tthe\t\\\"not\tenough\\\"\tblues,\tsee\thow\tfar\tyou\tcan\tget\twith\twhat you\thave.","","Build\thalf\ta\tproduct,\tnot\ta\thalf-assed\tproduct You\t can\t turn\t a\t bunch\t of\t great\t ideas\t into\t a\t crappy\t product\t real\t fast\t by\t trying\t to do\tthem\tall\tat\tonce.\tYou\tjust\tcan't\tdo\teverything\tyou\twant\tto\tdo\tand\tdo\tit\twell. You\t have\t limited\t time,\t resources,\t ability,\t and\t focus.\t It's\t hard\t enough\t to\t do\t one thing\tright.\tTrying\tto\tdo\tten\tthings\twell\tat\tthe\tsame\ttime?\tForget\tabout\tit. So\tsacrifice\tsome\tof\tyour\tdarlings\tfor\tthe\tgreater\tgood.\tCut\tyour\tambition\tin half.\tYou're\tbetter\toff\twith\ta\tkick-ass\thalf\tthan\ta\thalf-assed\twhole. Most\t of\t your\t great\t ideas\t won't\t seem\t all\t that\t great\t once\t you\t get\t some perspective,\tanyway.\tAnd\tif\tthey\ttruly\tare\tthat\tfantastic,\tyou\tcan\talways\tdo\tthem later. Lots\tof\tthings\tget\tbetter\tas\tthey\tget\tshorter.\tDirectors\tcut\tgood\tscenes\tto\tmake a\t great\t movie.\t Musicians\t drop\t good\t tracks\t to\t make\t a\t great\t album.\t Writers eliminate\tgood\tpages\tto\tmake\ta\tgreat\tbook.\tWe\tcut\tthis\tbook\tin\thalf\tbetween\tthe next-to-last\tand\tfinal\tdrafts.\tFrom\t57,000\twords\tto\tabout\t27,000\twords.\tTrust\tus, it's\tbetter\tfor\tit. So\t start\t chopping.\t Getting\t to\t great\t starts\t by\t cutting\t out\t stuff\t that's\t merely good.","","Start\tat\tthe\tepicenter When\t you\t start\t anything\t new,\t there\t are\t forces\t pulling\t you\t in\t a\t variety\t of directions.\tThere's\tthe\tstuff\tyou\tcould\tdo,\tthe\tstuff\tyou\twant\tto\tdo,\tand\tthe\tstuff you\thave\tto\tdo.\tThe\tstuff\tyou\thave\tto\tdo\tis\twhere\tyou\tshould\tbegin.\tStart\tat\tthe epicenter. For\t example,\t if\t you're\t opening\t a\t hot\t dog\t stand,\t you\t could\t worry\t about\t the condiments,\t the\t cart,\t the\t name,\t the\t decoration.\t But\t the\t first\t thing\t you\t should worry\t about\t is\t the\t hot\t dog.\t The\t hot\t dogs\t are\t the\t epicenter.\t Everything\t else\t is secondary. The\t way\t to\t find\t the\t epicenter\t is\t to\t ask\t yourself\t this\t question:\t \\\"If\t I\t took\t this away,\t would\t what\t I'm\t selling\t still\t exist?\\\"\t A\t hot\t dog\t stand\t isn't\t a\t hot\t dog\t stand without\tthe\thot\tdogs.\tYou\tcan\ttake\taway\tthe\tonions,\tthe\trelish,\tthe\tmustard,\tetc. Some\tpeople\tmay\tnot\tlike\tyour\ttoppings-less\tdogs,\tbut\tyou'd\tstill\thave\ta\thot\tdog stand.\tBut\tyou\tsimply\tcannot\thave\ta\thot\tdog\tstand\twithout\tany\thot\tdogs. So\tfigure\tout\tyour\tepicenter.\tWhich\tpart\tof\tyour\tequation\tcan't\tbe\tremoved?\tIf you\t can\t continue\t to\t get\t by\t without\t this\t thing\t or\t that\t thing,\t then\t those\t things aren't\tthe\tepicenter.\tWhen\tyou\tfind\tit,\tyou'll\tknow.\tThen\tfocus\tall\tyour\tenergy\ton making\tit\tthe\tbest\tit\tcan\tbe.\tEverything\telse\tyou\tdo\tdepends\ton\tthat\tfoundation.","","Ignore\tthe\tdetails\tearly\ton Architects\t don't\t worry\t about\t which\t tiles\t go\t in\t the\t shower\t or\t which\t brand\t of dishwasher\t to\t install\t in\t the\t kitchen\t until\t after\t the\t floor\t plan\t is\t finalized.\t They know\tit's\tbetter\tto\tdecide\tthese\tdetails\tlater. You\t need\t to\t approach\t your\t idea\t the\t same\t way.\t Details\t make\t the\t difference. But\tgetting\tinfatuated\twith\tdetails\ttoo\tearly\tleads\tto\tdisagreement,\tmeetings,\tand delays.\t You\t get\t lost\t in\t things\t that\t don't\t really\t matter.\t You\t waste\t time\t on decisions\t that\t are\t going\t to\t change\t anyway.\t So\t ignore\t the\t details--for\t a\t while. Nail\tthe\tbasics\tfirst\tand\tworry\tabout\tthe\tspecifics\tlater. When\t we\t start\t designing\t something,\t we\t sketch\t out\t ideas\t with\t a\t big,\t thick Sharpie\tmarker,\tinstead\tof\ta\tballpoint\tpen.\tWhy?\tPen\tpoints\tare\ttoo\tfine.\tThey're too\thigh-resolution.\tThey\tencourage\tyou\tto\tworry\tabout\tthings\tthat\tyou\tshouldn't worry\tabout\tyet,\tlike\tperfecting\tthe\tshading\tor\twhether\tto\tuse\ta\tdotted\tor\tdashed line.\tYou\tend\tup\tfocusing\ton\tthings\tthat\tshould\tstill\tbe\tout\tof\tfocus. A\t Sharpie\t makes\t it\t impossible\t to\t drill\t down\t that\t deep.\t You\t can\t only\t draw shapes,\t lines,\t and\t boxes.\t That's\t good.\t The\t big\t picture\t is\t all\t you\t should\t be worrying\tabout\tin\tthe\tbeginning. Walt\t Stanchfield,\t famed\tdrawing\tinstructor\tfor\tWalt\t Disney\tStudios,\tused\t to encourage\tanimators\tto\t\\\"forget\tthe\tdetail\\\"\tat\tfirst.\tThe\treason:\tDetail\tjust\tdoesn't buy\tyou\tanything\tin\tthe\tearly\tstages.* Besides,\t you\t often\t can't\t recognize\t the\t details\t that\t matter\t most\t until\t after\t you start\tbuilding.\tThat's\t when\t you\tsee\twhat\tneeds\tmore\tattention.\tYou\tfeel\twhat's missing.\tAnd\tthat's\twhen\tyou\tneed\tto\tpay\tattention,\tnot\tsooner.","","Making\tthe\tcall\tis\tmaking\tprogress When\tyou\tput\toff\tdecisions,\tthey\tpile\tup.\tAnd\tpiles\tend\tup\tignored,\tdealt\twith\tin haste,\t or\t thrown\t out.\t As\t a\t result,\t the\t individual\t problems\t in\t those\t piles\t stay unresolved. Whenever\t you\t can,\t swap\t \\\"Let's\t think\t about\t it\\\"\t for\t \\\"Let's\t decide\t on\t it.\\\" Commit\t to\t making\t decisions.\t Don't\t wait\t for\t the\t perfect\t solution.\t Decide\t and move\tforward. You\twant\tto\tget\tinto\tthe\trhythm\tof\tmaking\tchoices.\tWhen\tyou\tget\tin\tthat\tflow of\t making\t decision\t after\t decision,\t you\t build\t momentum\t and\t boost\t morale. Decisions\t are\t progress.\t Each\t one\t you\t make\t is\t a\t brick\t in\t your\t foundation.\t You can't\tbuild\ton\ttop\tof\t\\\"We'll\tdecide\tlater,\\\"\tbut\tyou\tcan\tbuild\ton\ttop\tof\t\\\"Done.\\\" The\t problem\t comes\t when\t you\t postpone\t decisions\t in\t the\t hope\t that\t a\t perfect answer\t will\t come\t to\t you\t later.\t It\t won't.\t You're\t as\t likely\t to\t make\t a\t great\t call today\tas\tyou\tare\ttomorrow. An\texample\tfrom\tour\tworld:\tFor\ta\tlong\ttime,\twe\tavoided\tcreating\tan\taffiliate program\t for\t our\t products\t because\t the\t \\\"perfect\\\"\t solution\t seemed\t way\t too complicated:\t We'd\t have\t to\t automate\t payments,\t mail\t out\t checks,\t figure\t out foreign\t tax\t laws\t for\t overseas\t affiliates,\t etc.\t The\t breakthrough\t came\t when\t we asked,\t\\\"What\tcan\twe\teasily\tdo\tright\tnow\tthat's\tgood\tenough?\\\"\tThe\tanswer:\tPay affiliates\tin\tcredit\tinstead\tof\tcash.\tSo\tthat's\twhat\twe\tdid. We\t stuck\t with\t that\t approach\t for\t a\t while\t and\t then\t eventually\t implemented\t a system\tthat\tpays\tcash.\tAnd\tthat's\ta\tbig\tpart\tof\tthis:\tYou\tdon't\thave\tto\tlive\twith\ta decision\tforever.\tIf\tyou\tmake\ta\tmistake,\tyou\tcan\tcorrect\tit\tlater. It\tdoesn't\tmatter\thow\tmuch\tyou\tplan,\tyou'll\tstill\tget\tsome\tstuff\twrong\tanyway. Don't\t make\t things\t worse\t by\t overanalyzing\t and\t delaying\t before\t you\t even\t get going. Long\tprojects\tzap\tmorale.\tThe\tlonger\tit\ttakes\tto\tdevelop,\tthe\tless\tlikely\tit\tis\tto launch.\tMake\tthe\tcall,\tmake\tprogress,\tand\tget\tsomething\tout\tnow--while\tyou've got\tthe\tmotivation\tand\tmomentum\tto\tdo\tso.","","Be\ta\tcurator You\tdon't\tmake\ta\tgreat\tmuseum\tby\tputting\tall\tthe\tart\tin\tthe\tworld\tinto\ta\tsingle room.\tThat's\ta\twarehouse.\tWhat\tmakes\ta\tmuseum\tgreat\tis\tthe\tstuff\tthat's\tnot\ton the\t walls.\t Someone\t says\t no.\t A\t curator\t is\t involved,\t making\t conscious\t decisions about\twhat\tshould\tstay\tand\twhat\tshould\tgo.\tThere's\tan\tediting\tprocess.\tThere's\ta lot\tmore\tstuff\toff\tthe\twalls\tthan\ton\tthe\twalls.\tThe\tbest\tis\ta\tsub-sub-subset\tof\tall the\tpossibilities. It's\t the\t stuff\t you\t leave\t out\t that\t matters.\t So\t constantly\t look\t for\t things\t to remove,\t simplify,\t and\t streamline.\t Be\t a\t curator.\t Stick\t to\t what's\t truly\t essential. Pare\tthings\tdown\tuntil\tyou're\tleft\twith\tonly\tthe\tmost\timportant\tstuff.\tThen\tdo\tit again.\tYou\tcan\talways\tadd\tstuff\tback\tin\tlater\tif\tyou\tneed\tto. Zingerman's\t is\t one\t of\t America's\t best-known\t delis.\t And\t it\t got\t that\t way because\t its\t owners\t think\t of\t themselves\t as\t curators.\t They're\t not\t just\t filling\t their shelves.\tThey're\tcurating\tthem. There's\ta\treason\tfor\tevery\tolive\toil\tthe\tteam\tat\tZingerman's\tsells:\tThey\tbelieve each\tone\tis\tgreat.\tUsually,\tthey've\tknown\tthe\tsupplier\tfor\tyears.\tThey've\tvisited and\tpicked\tolives\twith\tthem.\tThat's\twhy\tthey\tcan\tvouch\tfor\teach\toil's\tauthentic, full-bodied\tflavor. For\texample,\tlook\thow\tthe\towner\tof\tZingerman's\tdescribes\tPasolivo\tOlive\tOil on\tthe\tcompany\tWeb\tsite: I\ttasted\tthis\toil\tfor\tthe\tfirst\ttime\tyears\tago,\ton\ta\trandom\trecommendation\tand sample.\tThere\tare\tplenty\tof\toils\tthat\tcome\tin\tnice\tbottles\twith\tvery\tendearing stories\t to\t tell--this\t was\t no\t exception--but\t most\t simply\t aren't\t that\t great.\t By contrast\tPasolivo\tgot\tmy\tattention\tas\tsoon\tas\tI\ttasted\tit.\tIt's\tpowerful,\tfull\tand fruity.\tEverything\tI\tlike\tin\tan\toil,\twithout\tany\tdrawbacks.\tIt\tstill\tstands\tas\tone of\t America's\t best\t oils,\t on\t par\t with\t the\t great\t rustic\t oils\t of\t Tuscany.\t Strongly recommended.* The\towner\tactually\ttried\tthe\toil\tand\tchooses\tto\tcarry\tit\tbased\ton\tits\ttaste.\tIt's not\tabout\tpackaging,\tmarketing,\tor\tprice.\tIt's\tabout\tquality.\tHe\ttried\tit\tand\tknew his\tstore\thad\tto\tcarry\tit.\tThat's\tthe\tapproach\tyou\tshould\ttake\ttoo.","","Throw\tless\tat\tthe\tproblem Watch\t chef\t Gordon\t Ramsay's\t Kitchen\t Nightmares\t and\t you'll\t see\t a\t pattern.\t The menus\t at\t failing\t restaurants\t offer\t too\t many\t dishes.\t The\t owners\t think\t making every\t dish\t under\t the\t sun\t will\t broaden\t the\t appeal\t of\t the\t restaurant.\t Instead\t it makes\tfor\tcrappy\tfood\t(and\tcreates\tinventory\theadaches). That's\twhy\tRamsay's\tfirst\tstep\tis\tnearly\talways\tto\ttrim\tthe\tmenu,\tusually\tfrom thirty-plus\t dishes\t to\t around\t ten.\t Think\t about\t that.\t Improving\t the\t current\t menu doesn't\tcome\tfirst.\tTrimming\tit\tdown\tcomes\tfirst.\tThen\the\tpolishes\twhat's\tleft. When\t things\t aren't\t working,\t the\t natural\t inclination\t is\t to\t throw\t more\t at\t the problem.\t More\t people,\t time,\t and\t money.\t All\t that\t ends\t up\t doing\t is\t making\t the problem\tbigger.\tThe\tright\tway\tto\tgo\tis\tthe\topposite\tdirection:\tCut\tback. So\t do\t less.\t Your\t project\t won't\t suffer\t nearly\t as\t much\t as\t you\t fear.\t In\t fact, there's\t a\t good\t chance\t it'll\t end\t up\t even\t better.\t You'll\t be\t forced\t to\t make\t tough calls\tand\tsort\tout\twhat\ttruly\tmatters. If\t you\t start\t pushing\t back\t deadlines\t and\t increasing\t your\t budget,\t you'll\t never stop.","","Focus\ton\twhat\twon't\tchange A\tlot\tof\tcompanies\tfocus\ton\tthe\tnext\tbig\tthing.\tThey\tlatch\ton\tto\twhat's\thot\tand new.\tThey\tfollow\tthe\tlatest\ttrends\tand\ttechnology. That's\t a\t fool's\t path.\t You\t start\t focusing\t on\t fashion\t instead\t of\t substance.\t You start\tpaying\tattention\tto\tthings\tthat\tare\tconstantly\tchanging\tinstead\tof\tthings\tthat last. The\t core\t of\t your\t business\t should\t be\t built\t around\t things\t that\t won't\t change. Things\t that\t people\t are\t going\t to\t want\t today\t and\t ten\t years\t from\t now.\t Those\t are the\tthings\tyou\tshould\tinvest\tin. Amazon.com\tfocuses\ton\tfast\t(or\tfree)\tshipping,\tgreat\tselection,\tfriendly\treturn policies,\tand\taffordable\tprices.\tThese\tthings\twill\talways\tbe\tin\thigh\tdemand. Japanese\t automakers\t also\t focus\t on\t core\t principles\t that\t don't\t change: reliability,\taffordability,\tand\tpracticality.\tPeople\twanted\tthose\tthings\tthirty\tyears ago,\tthey\twant\tthem\ttoday,\tand\tthey'll\twant\tthem\tthirty\tyears\tfrom\tnow. For\t 37signals,\t things\t like\t speed,\t simplicity,\t ease\t of\t use,\t and\t clarity\t are\t our focus.\tThose\tare\ttimeless\tdesires.\tPeople\taren't\tgoing\tto\twake\tup\tin\tten\tyears\tand say,\t \\\"Man,\t I\t wish\t software\t was\t harder\t to\t use.\\\"\t They\t won't\t say,\t \\\"I\t wish\t this application\twas\tslower.\\\" Remember,\t fashion\t fades\t away.\t When\t you\t focus\t on\t permanent\t features, you're\tin\tbed\twith\tthings\tthat\tnever\tgo\tout\tof\tstyle.","","Tone\tis\tin\tyour\tfingers Guitar\tgurus\tsay,\t\\\"Tone\tis\tin\tyour\tfingers.\\\"\tYou\tcan\tbuy\tthe\tsame\tguitar,\teffects pedals,\tand\tamplifier\tthat\tEddie\tVan\tHalen\tuses.\tBut\twhen\tyou\tplay\tthat\trig,\tit's still\tgoing\tto\tsound\tlike\tyou. Likewise,\tEddie\tcould\tplug\tinto\ta\tcrappy\tStrat\/Pignose\tsetup\tat\ta\tpawn\tshop, and\tyou'd\tstill\tbe\table\tto\trecognize\tthat\tit's\tEddie\tVan\tHalen\tplaying.\tFancy\tgear can\thelp,\tbut\tthe\ttruth\tis\tyour\ttone\tcomes\tfrom\tyou. It's\t tempting\t for\t people\t to\t obsess\t over\t tools\t instead\t of\t what\t they're\t going\t to do\t with\t those\t tools.\t You\t know\t the\t type:\t Designers\t who\t use\t an\t avalanche\t of funky\t typefaces\t and\t fancy\t Photoshop\t filters\t but\t don't\t have\t anything\t to\t say. Amateur\tphotographers\twho\twant\tto\tdebate\tfilm\tversus\tdigital\tendlessly\tinstead of\tfocusing\ton\twhat\tactually\tmakes\ta\tphotograph\tgreat. Many\tamateur\tgolfers\tthink\tthey\tneed\texpensive\tclubs.\tBut\tit's\tthe\tswing\tthat matters,\t not\t the\t club.\t Give\t Tiger\t Woods\t a\t set\t of\t cheap\t clubs\t and\t he'll\t still destroy\tyou. People\tuse\tequipment\tas\ta\tcrutch.\tThey\tdon't\twant\tto\tput\tin\tthe\thours\ton\tthe driving\trange\tso\tthey\tspend\ta\tton\tin\tthe\tpro\tshop.\tThey're\tlooking\tfor\ta\tshortcut. But\tyou\tjust\tdon't\tneed\tthe\tbest\tgear\tin\tthe\tworld\tto\tbe\tgood.\tAnd\tyou\tdefinitely don't\tneed\tit\tto\tget\tstarted. In\tbusiness,\ttoo\tmany\tpeople\tobsess\tover\ttools,\tsoftware\ttricks,\tscaling\tissues, fancy\t office\t space,\t lavish\t furniture,\t and\t other\t frivolities\t instead\t of\t what\t really matters.\t And\t what\t really\t matters\t is\t how\t to\t actually\t get\t customers\t and\t make money. You\talso\tsee\tit\tin\tpeople\twho\twant\tto\tblog,\tpodcast,\tor\tshoot\tvideos\tfor\ttheir business\tbut\tget\thung\tup\ton\twhich\ttools\tto\tuse.\tThe\tcontent\tis\twhat\tmatters.\tYou can\t spend\t tons\t on\t fancy\t equipment,\t but\t if\t you've\t got\t nothing\t to\t say\t ...\t well, you've\tgot\tnothing\tto\tsay. Use\t whatever\t you've\t got\t already\t or\t can\t afford\t cheaply.\t Then\t go.\t It's\t not\t the gear\tthat\tmatters.\tIt's\tplaying\twhat\tyou've\tgot\tas\twell\tas\tyou\tcan.\tYour\ttone\tis\tin your\tfingers.","","Sell\tyour\tby-products When\t you\t make\t something,\t you\t always\t make\t something\t else.\t You\t can't\t make just\t one\t thing.\t Everything\t has\t a\t by-product.\t Observant\t and\t creative\t business minds\tspot\tthese\tby-products\tand\tsee\topportunities. The\t lumber\t industry\t sells\t what\t used\t to\t be\t waste--sawdust,\t chips,\t and shredded\t wood--for\t a\t pretty\t profit.\t You'll\t find\t these\t by-products\t in\t synthetic fireplace\tlogs,\tconcrete,\tice\tstrengtheners,\tmulch,\tparticleboard,\tfuel,\tand\tmore. But\t you're\t probably\t not\t manufacturing\t anything.\t That\t can\t make\t it\t tough\t to spot\t your\t by-products.\t People\t at\t a\t lumber\t company\t see\t their\t waste.\t They\t can't ignore\t sawdust.\t But\t you\t don't\t see\t yours.\t Maybe\t you\t don't\t even\t think\t you produce\tany\tby-products.\tBut\tthat's\tmyopic. Our\t last\t book,\t Getting\tReal,\t was\t a\t by-product.\t We\t wrote\t that\t book\t without even\t knowing\t it.\t The\t experience\t that\t came\t from\t building\t a\t company\t and building\tsoftware\twas\tthe\twaste\tfrom\tactually\tdoing\tthe\twork.\tWe\tswept\tup\tthat knowledge\tfirst\tinto\tblog\tposts,\tthen\tinto\ta\tworkshop\tseries,\tthen\tinto\ta\t.pdf,\tand then\tinto\ta\tpaperback.\tThat\tby-product\thas\tmade\t37signals\tmore\tthan\t$1\tmillion directly\t and\t probably\t more\t than\t another\t $1\t million\t indirectly.\t The\t book\t you're reading\tright\tnow\tis\ta\tby-product\ttoo. The\t rock\t band\t Wilco\t found\t a\t valuable\t by-product\t in\t its\t recording\t process. The\tband\tfilmed\tthe\tcreation\tof\tan\talbum\tand\treleased\tit\tas\ta\tdocumentary\tcalled I\tAm\tTrying\tto\tBreak\tYour\tHeart.\tIt\toffered\tan\tuncensored\tand\tfascinating\tlook at\t the\t group's\t creative\t process\t and\t infighting.\t The\t band\t made\t money\t off\t the movie\tand\talso\tused\tit\tas\ta\tstepping-stone\ttoward\treaching\ta\twider\taudience. Henry\tFord\tlearned\tof\ta\tprocess\tfor\tturning\twood\tscraps\tfrom\tthe\tproduction of\tModel\tT's\tinto\tcharcoal\tbriquets.\tHe\tbuilt\ta\tcharcoal\tplant\tand\tFord\tCharcoal was\t created\t (later\t renamed\t Kingsford\t Charcoal).\t Today,\t Kingsford\t is\t still\t the leading\tmanufacturer\tof\tcharcoal\tin\tAmerica.* Software\t companies\t don't\t usually\t think\t about\t writing\t books.\t Bands\t don't usually\t think\t about\t filming\t the\t recording\t process.\t Car\t manufacturers\t don't usually\t think\t about\t selling\t charcoal.\t There's\t probably\t something\t you\t haven't thought\tabout\tthat\tyou\tcould\tsell\ttoo.","","Launch\tnow When\t is\t your\t product\t or\t service\t finished?\t When\t should\t you\t put\t it\t out\t on\t the market?\tWhen\tis\tit\tsafe\tto\tlet\tpeople\thave\tit?\tProbably\ta\tlot\tsooner\tthan\tyou're comfortable\twith.\tOnce\tyour\tproduct\tdoes\twhat\tit\tneeds\tto\tdo,\tget\tit\tout\tthere. Just\t because\t you've\t still\t got\t a\t list\t of\t things\t to\t do\t doesn't\t mean\t it's\t not\t done. Don't\thold\teverything\telse\tup\tbecause\tof\ta\tfew\tleftovers.\tYou\tcan\tdo\tthem\tlater. And\tdoing\tthem\tlater\tmay\tmean\tdoing\tthem\tbetter,\ttoo. Think\t about\t it\t this\t way:\t If\t you\t had\t to\t launch\t your\t business\t in\t two\t weeks, what\twould\tyou\tcut\tout?\tFunny\thow\ta\tquestion\tlike\tthat\tforces\tyou\tto\tfocus.\tYou suddenly\t realize\t there's\t a\t lot\t of\t stuff\t you\t don't\t need.\t And\t what\t you\t do\t need seems\tobvious.\tWhen\tyou\timpose\ta\tdeadline,\tyou\tgain\tclarity.\tIt's\tthe\tbest\tway to\tget\tto\tthat\tgut\tinstinct\tthat\ttells\tyou,\t\\\"We\tdon't\tneed\tthis.\\\" Put\t off\t anything\t you\t don't\t need\t for\t launch.\t Build\t the\t necessities\t now,\t worry about\tthe\tluxuries\tlater.\tIf\tyou\treally\tthink\tabout\tit,\tthere's\ta\twhole\tlot\tyou\tdon't need\ton\tday\tone. When\t we\t launched\t Basecamp,\t we\t didn't\t even\t have\t the\t ability\t to\t bill customers!\t Because\t the\t product\t billed\t in\t monthly\t cycles,\t we\t knew\t we\t had\t a thirty-day\tgap\tto\tfigure\tit\tout.\tSo\twe\tused\tthe\ttime\tbefore\tlaunch\tto\tsolve\tmore urgent\tproblems\tthat\tactually\tmattered\ton\tday\tone.\tDay\t30\tcould\twait. Camper,\ta\tbrand\tof\tshoes,\topened\ta\tstore\tin\tSan\tFrancisco\tbefore\tconstruction was\teven\tfinished\tand\tcalled\tit\ta\tWalk\tin\tProgress.\tCustomers\tcould\tdraw\ton\tthe walls\t of\t the\t empty\t store.\t Camper\t displayed\t shoes\t on\t cheap\t plywood\t laid\t over dozens\t of\t shoe\t boxes.\t The\t most\t popular\t message\t written\t by\t customers\t on\t the walls:\t\\\"Keep\tthe\tstore\tjust\tthe\tway\tit\tis.\\\"* Likewise,\tthe\tfounders\tof\tCrate\tand\tBarrel\tdidn't\twait\tto\tbuild\tfancy\tdisplays when\t they\t opened\t their\t first\t store.\t They\t turned\t over\t the\t crates\t and\t barrels\t that the\tmerchandise\tcame\tin\tand\tstacked\tproducts\ton\ttop\tof\tthem.+ Don't\t mistake\t this\t approach\t for\t skimping\t on\t quality,\t either.\t You\t still\t want\t to make\t something\t great.\t This\t approach\t just\t recognizes\t that\t the\t best\t way\t to\t get there\t is\t through\t iterations.\t Stop\t imagining\t what's\t going\t to\t work.\t Find\t out\t for real. \t *Walt\tStanchfield,\tDrawn\tto\tLife:\t20\tGolden\tYears\tof\tDisney\tMaster\tClasses,","vol.\t1,\tThe\tWalt\tStanchfield\tLectures,\tOxford,\tUK:\tFocal\tPress,\t2009. \t *Pasolivo\t Olive\t Oil,\t Zingerman's,\t www.zingermans.com\/product.aspx? productid=o-psl \t *\\\"About\t Kingsford:\t Simply\t a\t Matter\t of\t Taste,\\\"\t Kingsford, www.kingsford.com\/about\/index.htm \t *Fara\t Warner,\t \\\"Walk\t in\t Progress,\\\"\t Fast\t Company,\t Dec.\t 19,\t 2007, www.fastcompany.com\/magazine\/58\/lookfeel.html \t +Matt\t Valley,\t \\\"The\t Crate\t and\t Barrel\t Story,\\\"\t Retail\t Traffic,\t June\t 1,\t 2001, retailtrafficmag.com\/mag\/retail_crate_barrel_story","CHAPTER PRODUCTIVITY","Illusions\tof\tagreement The\t business\t world\t is\t littered\t with\t dead\t documents\t that\t do\t nothing\t but\t waste people's\t time.\t Reports\t no\t one\t reads,\t diagrams\t no\t one\t looks\t at,\t and\t specs\t that never\tresemble\tthe\tfinished\tproduct.\tThese\tthings\ttake\tforever\tto\tmake\tbut\tonly seconds\tto\tforget. If\tyou\tneed\tto\texplain\tsomething,\ttry\tgetting\treal\twith\tit.\tInstead\tof\tdescribing what\tsomething\tlooks\tlike,\tdraw\tit.\tInstead\tof\texplaining\twhat\tsomething\tsounds like,\thum\tit.\tDo\teverything\tyou\tcan\tto\tremove\tlayers\tof\tabstraction. The\tproblem\twith\tabstractions\t(like\treports\tand\tdocuments)\tis\tthat\tthey\tcreate illusions\t of\t agreement.\t A\t hundred\t people\t can\t read\t the\t same\t words,\t but\t in\t their heads,\tthey're\timagining\ta\thundred\tdifferent\tthings. That's\twhy\tyou\twant\tto\tget\tto\tsomething\treal\tright\taway.\tThat's\twhen\tyou\tget true\t understanding.\t It's\t like\t when\t we\t read\t about\t characters\t in\t a\t book--we\t each picture\tthem\t differently\t in\tour\t heads.\tBut\twhen\twe\tactually\t see\tpeople,\twe\tall know\texactly\twhat\tthey\tlook\tlike. When\tthe\tteam\tat\tAlaska\tAirlines\twanted\tto\tbuild\ta\tnew\tAirport\tof\tthe\tFuture, they\t didn't\t rely\t on\t blueprints\t and\t sketches.\t They\t got\t a\t warehouse\t and\t built mock-ups\t using\t cardboard\t boxes\t for\t podiums,\t kiosks,\t and\t belts.\t The\t team\t then built\t a\t small\t prototype\t in\t Anchorage\t to\t test\t systems\t with\t real\t passengers\t and employees.\t The\t design\t that\t resulted\t from\t this\t getting-real\t process\t has significantly\treduced\twait\ttimes\tand\tincreased\tagent\tproductivity.* Widely\t admired\t furniture\t craftsman\t Sam\t Maloof\t felt\t it\t was\t impossible\t to make\ta\tworking\tdrawing\tto\tshow\tall\tthe\tintricate\tand\tfine\tdetails\tthat\tgo\tinto\ta chair\tor\tstool.\t\\\"Many\ttimes\tI\tdo\tnot\tknow\thow\ta\tcertain\tarea\tis\tto\tbe\tdone\tuntil\tI start\t working\t with\t a\t chisel,\t rasp,\t or\t whatever\t tool\t is\t needed\t for\t that\t particular job,\\\"\the\tsaid.+ That's\t the\t path\t we\t all\t should\t take.\t Get\t the\t chisel\t out\t and\t start\t making something\treal.\tAnything\telse\tis\tjust\ta\tdistraction.","","Reasons\tto\tquit It's\t easy\t to\t put\t your\t head\t down\t and\t just\t work\t on\t what\t you\t think\t needs\t to\t be done.\tIt's\ta\tlot\tharder\tto\tpull\tyour\thead\tup\tand\task\twhy.\tHere\tare\tsome\timportant questions\tto\task\tyourself\tto\tensure\tyou're\tdoing\twork\tthat\tmatters: Why\t are\t you\t doing\t this?\t Ever\t find\t yourself\t working\t on\t something\t without knowing\t exactly\t why?\t Someone\t just\t told\t you\t to\t do\t it.\t It's\t pretty\t common, actually.\tThat's\twhy\tit's\timportant\tto\task\twhy\tyou'reworking\ton______.\tWhat is\t this\t for?\t Who\t benefits?\t What's\t the\t motivation\t behind\t it?\t Knowing\t the answers\tto\tthese\tquestions\twill\thelp\tyou\tbetter\tunderstand\tthe\twork\titself. What\t problem\t are\t you\t solving?\t What's\t the\t problem?\t Are\t customers confused?\tAre\tyou\tconfused?\tIs\tsomething\tnot\tclear\tenough?\tWas\tsomething not\t possible\t before\t that\t should\t be\t possible\t now?\t Sometimes\t when\t you\t ask these\tquestions,\tyou'll\tfind\tyou're\tsolving\tan\timaginary\tproblem.\tThat's\twhen it's\ttime\tto\tstop\tand\treevaluate\twhat\tthe\thell\tyou're\tdoing. Is\t this\t actually\t useful?\t Are\t you\t making\t something\t useful\t or\t just\t making something?\t It's\t easy\t to\t confuse\t enthusiasm\t with\t usefulness.\t Sometimes\t it's fine\tto\tplay\ta\tbit\tand\tbuild\tsomething\tcool.\tBut\teventually\tyou've\tgot\tto\tstop and\task\tyourself\tif\tit's\tuseful,\ttoo.\tCool\twears\toff.\tUseful\tnever\tdoes. Are\tyou\tadding\tvalue?\t Adding\tsomething\tis\teasy;\tadding\tvalue\tis\thard.\tIs this\tthing\tyou're\tworking\ton\tactually\tmaking\tyour\tproduct\tmore\tvaluable\tfor customers?\t Can\t they\t get\t more\t out\t of\t it\t than\t they\t did\t before?\t Sometimes things\tyou\tthink\tare\tadding\tvalue\tactually\tsubtract\tfrom\tit.\tToo\tmuch\tketchup can\truin\tthe\tfries.\tValue\tis\tabout\tbalance. Will\t this\t change\t behavior?\t Is\t what\t you're\t working\t on\t really\t going\t to change\t anything?\t Don't\t add\t something\t unless\t it\t has\t a\t real\t impact\t on\t how people\tuse\tyour\tproduct.","Is\t there\t an\t easier\t way?\t Whenever\t you're\t working\t on\t something,\t ask,\t \\\"Is there\t an\t easier\t way?\\\"\t You'll\t often\t find\t this\t easy\t way\t is\t more\t than\t good enough\t for\t now.\t Problems\t are\t usually\t pretty\t simple.\t We\t just\t imagine\t that they\trequire\thard\tsolutions. What\tcould\tyou\tbe\tdoing\tinstead?\tWhat\tcan't\tyou\tdo\tbecause\tyou're\tdoing this?\tThis\tis\tespecially\timportant\tfor\tsmall\tteams\twith\tconstrained\tresources. That's\twhen\tprioritization\tis\teven\tmore\timportant.\tIf\tyou\twork\ton\tA,\tcan\tyou still\tdo\tB\tand\tC\tbefore\tApril?\tIf\tnot,\twould\tyou\trather\thave\tB\tand\tC\tinstead of\tA?\tIf\tyou're\tstuck\ton\tsomething\tfor\ta\tlong\tperiod\tof\ttime,\tthat\tmeans\tthere are\tother\tthings\tyou're\tnot\tgetting\tdone. Is\t it\t really\t worth\t it?\t Is\t what\t you're\t doing\t really\t worth\t it?\t Is\t this\t meeting worth\tpulling\tsix\tpeople\toff\ttheir\twork\tfor\tan\thour?\tIs\tit\tworth\tpulling\tan\tall- nighter\ttonight,\tor\tcould\tyou\tjust\tfinish\tit\tup\ttomorrow?\tIs\tit\tworth\tgetting\tall stressed\tout\tover\ta\tpress\trelease\tfrom\ta\tcompetitor?\tIs\tit\tworth\tspending\tyour money\t on\t advertising?\t Determine\t the\t real\t value\t of\t what\t you're\t about\t to\t do before\ttaking\tthe\tplunge. Keep\t asking\t yourself\t (and\t others)\t the\t questions\t listed\t above.\t You\t don't\t need to\tmake\tit\ta\tformal\tprocess,\tbut\tdon't\tlet\tit\tslide,\teither. Also,\t don't\t be\t timid\t about\t your\t conclusions.\t Sometimes\t abandoning\t what you're\tworking\ton\tis\tthe\tright\tmove,\teven\tif\tyou've\talready\tput\tin\ta\tlot\tof\teffort. Don't\tthrow\tgood\ttime\tafter\tbad\twork.","","Interruption\tis\tthe\tenemy of\tproductivity If\t you're\t constantly\t staying\t late\t and\t working\t weekends,\t it's\t not\t because\t there's too\tmuch\twork\tto\tbe\tdone.\tIt's\tbecause\tyou're\tnot\tgetting\tenough\tdone\tat\twork. And\tthe\treason\tis\tinterruptions. Think\tabout\tit:\tWhen\tdo\tyou\tget\tmost\tof\tyour\twork\tdone?\tIf\tyou're\tlike\tmost people,\tit's\tat\tnight\tor\tearly\tin\tthe\tmorning.\tIt's\tno\tcoincidence\tthat\tthese\tare\tthe times\twhen\tnobody\telse\tis\taround. At\t 2\t p.m.,\t people\t are\t usually\t in\t a\t meeting\t or\t answering\t e-mail\t or\t chatting with\t colleagues.\t Those\t taps\t on\t the\t shoulder\t and\t little\t impromptu\t get-togethers may\tseem\tharmless,\tbut\tthey're\tactually\tcorrosive\tto\tproductivity.\tInterruption\tis not\t collaboration,\t it's\t just\t interruption.\t And\t when\t you're\t interrupted,\t you're\t not getting\twork\tdone. Interruptions\t break\t your\t workday\t into\t a\t series\t of\t work\t moments.\t Forty-five minutes\tand\tthen\tyou\thave\ta\tcall.\tFifteen\tminutes\tand\tthen\tyou\thave\tlunch.\tAn hour\tlater,\tyou\thave\tan\tafternoon\tmeeting.\tBefore\tyou\tknow\tit,\tit's\tfive\to'clock, and\t you've\t only\t had\t a\t couple\t uninterrupted\t hours\t to\t get\t your\t work\t done.\t You can't\t get\t meaningful\t things\t done\t when\t you're\t constantly\t going\t start,\t stop,\t start, stop. Instead,\t you\t should\t get\t in\t the\t alone\t zone.\t Long\t stretches\t of\t alone\t time\t are when\t you're\t most\t productive.\t When\t you\t don't\t have\t to\t mind-shift\t between various\t tasks,\t you\t get\t a\t boatload\t done.\t (Ever\t notice\t how\t much\t work\t you\t get done\ton\ta\tplane\tsince\tyou're\toffline\tand\tthere\tare\tzero\toutside\tdistractions?) Getting\tinto\tthat\tzone\ttakes\ttime\tand\trequires\tavoiding\tinterruptions.\tIt's\tlike REM\tsleep:\tYou\tdon't\tjust\tgo\tdirectly\tinto\tREM\tsleep.\tYou\tgo\tto\tsleep\tfirst\tand then\tmake\tyour\tway\tto\tREM.\tAny\tinterruptions\tforce\tyou\tto\tstart\tover.\tAnd\tjust as\t REM\t is\t when\t the\t real\t sleep\t magic\t happens,\t the\t alone\t zone\t is\t where\t the\t real productivity\tmagic\thappens. Your\talone\tzone\tdoesn't\thave\tto\tbe\tin\tthe\twee\thours,\tthough.\tYou\tcan\tset\tup\ta rule\tat\twork\tthat\thalf\tthe\tday\tis\tset\taside\tfor\talone\ttime.\tDecree\tthat\tfrom\t10\ta.m. to\t2\tp.m.,\tpeople\tcan't\ttalk\tto\teach\tother\t(except\tduring\tlunch).\tOr\tmake\tthe\tfirst or\t last\t half\t of\t the\t day\t your\t alone-time\t period.\t Or\t instead\t of\t casual\t Fridays,\t try no-talk\t Thursdays.\t Just\t make\t sure\t this\t period\t is\t unbroken\t in\t order\t to\t avoid productivity-zapping\tinterruptions. And\tgo\tall\tthe\tway\twith\tit.\tA\tsuccessful\talone-time\tperiod\tmeans\tletting\tgo\tof communication\t addiction.\t During\t alone\t time,\t give\t up\t instant\t messages,\t phone","calls,\te-mail,\tand\tmeetings.\tJust\tshut\tup\tand\tget\tto\twork.\tYou'll\tbe\tsurprised\thow much\tmore\tyou\tget\tdone. Also,\twhen\tyou\tdo\tcollaborate,\ttry\tto\tuse\tpassive\tcommunication\ttools,\tlike\te- mail,\t that\t don't\t require\t an\t instant\t reply,\t instead\t of\t interruptive\t ones,\t like\t phone calls\t and\t face-to-face\t meetings.\t That\t way\t people\t can\t respond\t when\t it's convenient\tfor\tthem,\tinstead\tof\tbeing\tforced\tto\tdrop\teverything\tright\taway. Your\tday\tis\tunder\tsiege\tby\tinterruptions.\tIt's\ton\tyou\tto\tfight\tback.","","Meetings\tare\ttoxic The\tworst\tinterruptions\tof\tall\tare\tmeetings.\tHere's\twhy: They're\tusually\tabout\twords\tand\tabstract\tconcepts,\tnot\treal\tthings. They\tusually\tconvey\tan\tabysmally\tsmall\tamount\tof\tinformation\tper\tminute. They\tdrift\toff-subject\teasier\tthan\ta\tChicago\tcab\tin\ta\tsnowstorm. They\trequire\tthorough\tpreparation\tthat\tmost\tpeople\tdon't\thave\ttime\tfor. They\t frequently\t have\t agendas\t so\t vague\t that\t nobody\t is\t really\t sure\t of\t the goal. They\toften\tinclude\tat\tleast\tone\tmoron\twho\tinevitably\tgets\this\tturn\tto\twaste everyone's\ttime\twith\tnonsense. Meetings\tprocreate.\tOne\tmeeting\tleads\tto\tanother\tmeeting\tleads\tto\tanother ... It's\talso\tunfortunate\tthat\tmeetings\tare\ttypically\tscheduled\tlike\tTV\tshows.\tYou set\taside\tthirty\tminutes\tor\tan\thour\tbecause\tthat's\thow\tscheduling\tsoftware\tworks (you'll\t never\t see\t anyone\t schedule\t a\t seven-minute\t meeting\t with\t Outlook).\t Too bad.\tIf\tit\tonly\ttakes\tseven\tminutes\tto\taccomplish\ta\tmeeting's\tgoal,\tthen\tthat's\tall the\ttime\tyou\tshould\tspend.\tDon't\tstretch\tseven\tinto\tthirty. When\t you\t think\t about\t it,\t the\t true\t cost\t of\t meetings\t is\t staggering.\t Let's\t say you're\tgoing\tto\tschedule\ta\tmeeting\tthat\tlasts\tone\thour,\tand\tyou\tinvite\tten\tpeople to\t attend.\t That's\t actually\t a\t ten-hour\t meeting,\t not\t a\t one-hour\t meeting.\t You're trading\tten\thours\tof\tproductivity\tfor\tone\thour\tof\tmeeting\ttime.\tAnd\tit's\tprobably more\tlike\tfifteen\thours,\tbecause\tthere\tare\tmental\tswitching\tcosts\tthat\tcome\twith stopping\t what\tyou're\tdoing,\tgoing\tsomewhere\telse\tto\tmeet,\tand\tthen\tresuming what\tyou\twere\tdoing\tbeforehand. Is\t it\t ever\t OK\t to\t trade\t ten\t or\t fifteen\t hours\t of\t productivity\t for\t one\t hour\t of meeting?\t Sometimes,\t maybe.\t But\t that's\t a\t pretty\t hefty\t price\t to\t pay.\t Judged\t on\t a pure\tcost\tbasis,\tmeetings\tof\tthis\tsize\tquickly\tbecome\tliabilities,\tnot\tassets.\tThink about\tthe\ttime\tyou're\tactually\tlosing\tand\task\tyourself\tif\tit's\treally\tworth\tit. If\t you\t decide\t you\t absolutely\t must\t get\t together,\t try\t to\t make\t your\t meeting\t a productive\tone\tby\tsticking\tto\tthese\tsimple\trules: Set\ta\ttimer.\tWhen\tit\trings,\tmeeting's\tover.\tPeriod. Invite\tas\tfew\tpeople\tas\tpossible. Always\thave\ta\tclear\tagenda.","Begin\twith\ta\tspecific\tproblem. Meet\tat\tthe\tsite\tof\tthe\tproblem\tinstead\tof\ta\tconference\troom.\tPoint\tto\treal things\tand\tsuggest\treal\tchanges. End\twith\ta\tsolution\tand\tmake\tsomeone\tresponsible\tfor\timplementing\tit.","","Good\tenough\tis\tfine A\tlot\tof\tpeople\tget\toff\ton\tsolving\tproblems\twith\tcomplicated\tsolutions.\tFlexing your\tintellectual\tmuscles\tcan\tbe\tintoxicating.\tThen\tyou\tstart\tlooking\tfor\tanother big\t challenge\t that\t gives\t you\t that\t same\t rush,\t regardless\t of\t whether\t it's\t a\t good idea\tor\tnot. A\tbetter\tidea:\tFind\ta\tjudo\tsolution,\tone\tthat\tdelivers\tmaximum\tefficiency\twith minimum\t effort.\t Judo\t solutions\t are\t all\t about\t getting\t the\t most\t out\t of\t doing\t the least.\tWhenever\tyou\tface\tan\tobstacle,\tlook\tfor\ta\tway\tto\tjudo\tit. Part\t of\t this\t is\t recognizing\t that\t problems\t are\t negotiable.\t Let's\t say\t your challenge\tis\tto\tget\ta\tbird's-eye\tview.\tOne\tway\tto\tdo\tit\tis\tto\tclimb\tMount\tEverest. That's\t the\t ambitious\t solution.\t But\t then\t again,\t you\t could\t take\t an\t elevator\t to\t the top\tof\ta\ttall\tbuilding.\tThat's\ta\tjudo\tsolution. Problems\t can\t usually\t be\t solved\t with\t simple,\t mundane\t solutions.\t That\t means there's\t no\t glamorous\t work.\t You\t don't\t get\t to\t show\t off\t your\t amazing\t skills.\t You just\t build\t something\t that\t gets\t the\t job\t done\t and\t then\t move\t on.\t This\t approach may\tnot\tearn\tyou\toohs\tand\taahs,\tbut\tit\tlets\tyou\tget\ton\twith\tit. Look\t at\t political\t campaign\t ads.\t A\t big\t issue\t pops\t up,\t and\t politicians\t have\t an ad\t about\t it\t on\t the\t air\t the\t next\t day.\t The\t production\t quality\t is\t low.\t They\t use photos\t instead\t of\t live\t footage.\t They\t have\t static,\t plain-text\t headlines\t instead\t of fancy\t animated\t graphics.\t The\t only\t audio\t is\t a\t voice-over\t done\t by\t an\t unseen narrator.\t Despite\t all\t that,\t the\t ad\t is\t still\t good\t enough.\t If\t they\t waited\t weeks\t to perfect\t it,\t it\t would\t come\t out\t too\t late.\t It's\t a\t situation\t where\t timeliness\t is\t more important\tthan\tpolish\tor\teven\tquality. When\t good\t enough\tgets\t the\tjob\tdone,\tgo\tfor\tit.\tIt's\tway\tbetter\tthan\twasting resources\t or,\t even\t worse,\t doing\t nothing\t because\t you\t can't\t afford\t the\t complex solution.\tAnd\tremember,\tyou\tcan\tusually\tturn\tgood\tenough\tinto\tgreat\tlater.","","Quick\twins Momentum\t fuels\t motivation.\t It\t keeps\t you\t going.\t It\t drives\t you.\t Without\t it,\t you can't\tgo\tanywhere.\tIf\tyou\taren't\tmotivated\tby\twhat\tyou're\tworking\ton,\tit\twon't\tbe very\tgood. The\tway\tyou\tbuild\tmomentum\tis\tby\tgetting\tsomething\tdone\tand\tthen\tmoving on\tto\tthe\tnext\tthing.\tNo\tone\tlikes\tto\tbe\tstuck\ton\tan\tendless\tproject\twith\tno\tfinish line\t in\t sight.\t Being\t in\t the\t trenches\t for\t nine\t months\t and\t not\t having\t anything\t to show\t for\t it\t is\t a\t real\t buzzkill.\t Eventually\t it\t just\t burns\t you\t out.\t To\t keep\t your momentum\tand\tmotivation\tup,\tget\tin\tthe\thabit\tof\taccomplishing\tsmall\tvictories along\tthe\tway.\tEven\ta\ttiny\timprovement\tcan\tgive\tyou\ta\tgood\tjolt\tof\tmomentum. The\tlonger\tsomething\ttakes,\tthe\tless\tlikely\tit\tis\tthat\tyou're\tgoing\tto\tfinish\tit. Excitement\tcomes\tfrom\tdoing\tsomething\tand\tthen\tletting\tcustomers\thave\tat\tit. Planning\t a\t menu\t for\t a\t year\t is\t boring.\t Getting\t the\t new\t menu\t out,\t serving\t the food,\t and\t getting\t feedback\t is\t exciting.\t So\t don't\t wait\t too\t long--you'll\t smother your\tsparks\tif\tyou\tdo. If\tyou\tabsolutely\thave\tto\twork\ton\tlong-term\tprojects,\ttry\tto\tdedicate\tone\tday\ta week\t (or\t every\t two\t weeks)\t to\t small\t victories\t that\t generate\t enthusiasm.\t Small victories\tlet\tyou\tcelebrate\tand\trelease\tgood\tnews.\tAnd\tyou\twant\ta\tsteady\tstream of\t good\t news.\t When\t there's\t something\t new\t to\t announce\t every\t two\t weeks,\t you energize\tyour\tteam\tand\tgive\tyour\tcustomers\tsomething\tto\tbe\texcited\tabout. So\t ask\t yourself,\t \\\"What\t can\t we\t do\t in\t two\t weeks?\\\"\t And\t then\t do\t it.\t Get\t it\t out there\t and\t let\t people\t use\t it,\t taste\t it,\t play\t it,\t or\t whatever.\t The\t quicker\t it's\t in\t the hands\tof\tcustomers,\tthe\tbetter\toff\tyou'll\tbe.","","Don't\tbe\ta\thero A\tlot\tof\ttimes\tit's\tbetter\tto\tbe\ta\tquitter\tthan\ta\thero. For\t example,\t let's\t say\t you\t think\t a\t task\t can\t be\t done\t in\t two\t hours.\t But\t four hours\tinto\tit,\tyou're\tstill\tonly\ta\tquarter\tof\tthe\tway\tdone.\tThe\tnatural\tinstinct\tis\tto think,\t\\\"But\tI\tcan't\tgive\tup\tnow,\tI've\talready\tspent\tfour\thours\ton\tthis!\\\" So\t you\t go\t into\t hero\t mode.\t You're\t determined\t to\t make\t it\t work\t (and\t slightly embarrassed\tthat\tit\tisn't\talready\tworking).\tYou\tgrab\tyour\tcape\tand\tshut\tyourself off\tfrom\tthe\tworld. And\t sometimes\t that\t kind\t of\t sheer\t effort\t overload\t works.\t But\t is\t it\t worth\t it? Probably\tnot.\tThe\ttask\twas\tworth\tit\twhen\tyou\tthought\tit\twould\tcost\ttwo\thours, not\tsixteen.\tIn\tthose\tsixteen\thours,\tyou\tcould\thave\tgotten\ta\tbunch\tof\tother\tthings done.\tPlus,\tyou\tcut\tyourself\toff\tfrom\tfeedback,\twhich\tcan\tlead\tyou\teven\tfurther down\t the\t wrong\t path.\t Even\t heroes\t need\t a\t fresh\t pair\t of\t eyes\t sometimes-- someone\telse\tto\tgive\tthem\ta\treality\tcheck. We've\t experienced\t this\t problem\t firsthand.\t So\t we\t decided\t that\t if\t anything takes\tone\tof\tus\tlonger\tthan\ttwo\tweeks,\twe've\tgot\tto\tbring\tother\tpeople\tin\tto\ttake a\t look.\t They\t might\t not\t do\t any\t work\t on\t the\t task,\t but\t at\t least\t they\t can\t review\t it quickly\t and\t give\t their\t two\t cents.\t Sometimes\t an\t obvious\t solution\t is\t staring\t you right\tin\tthe\tface,\tbut\tyou\tcan't\teven\tsee\tit. Keep\t in\t mind\t that\t the\t obvious\t solution\t might\t very\t well\t be\t quitting.\t People automatically\t associate\t quitting\t with\t failure,\t but\t sometimes\t that's\t exactly\t what you\t should\t do.\t If\t you\t already\t spent\t too\t much\t time\t on\t something\t that\t wasn't worth\t it,\t walk\t away.\t You\t can't\t get\t that\t time\t back.\t The\t worst\t thing\t you\t can\t do now\tis\twaste\teven\tmore\ttime.","","Go\tto\tsleep Forgoing\tsleep\tis\ta\tbad\tidea.\tSure,\tyou\tget\tthose\textra\thours\tright\tnow,\tbut\tyou pay\tin\tspades\tlater:\tYou\tdestroy\tyour\tcreativity,\tmorale,\tand\tattitude. Once\t in\t a\t while,\t you\t can\t pull\t an\t all-nighter\t if\t you\t fully\t understand\t the consequences.\tJust\tdon't\tmake\tit\ta\thabit.\tIf\tit\tbecomes\ta\tconstant,\tthe\tcosts\tstart to\tmount: Stubbornness:\tWhen\tyou're\treally\ttired,\tit\talways\tseems\teasier\tto\tplow\tdown whatever\t bad\t path\t you\t happen\t to\t be\t on\t instead\t of\t reconsidering\t the\t route. The\t finish\t line\t is\t a\t constant\t mirage\t and\t you\t wind\t up\t walking\t in\t the\t desert way\ttoo\tlong. Lack\t of\t creativity:\t Creativity\t is\t one\t of\t the\t first\t things\t to\t go\t when\t you\t lose sleep.\t What\t distinguishes\t people\t who\t are\t ten\t times\t more\t effective\t than\t the norm\tis\tnot\tthat\tthey\twork\tten\ttimes\tas\thard;\tit's\tthat\tthey\tuse\ttheir\tcreativity to\tcome\tup\twith\tsolutions\tthat\trequire\tone-tenth\tof\tthe\teffort.\tWithout\tsleep, you\tstop\tcoming\tup\twith\tthose\tone-tenth\tsolutions. Diminished\tmorale:\tWhen\tyour\tbrain\tisn't\tfiring\ton\tall\tcylinders,\tit\tloves\tto feed\ton\tless\tdemanding\ttasks.\tLike\treading\tyet\tanother\tarticle\tabout\tstuff\tthat doesn't\t matter.\t When\t you're\t tired,\t you\t lose\t motivation\t to\t attack\t the\t big problems. Irritability:\t Your\t ability\t to\t remain\t patient\t and\t tolerant\t is\t severely\t reduced when\tyou're\ttired.\tIf\tyou\tencounter\tsomeone\twho's\tacting\tlike\ta\tfool,\tthere's\ta good\tchance\tthat\tperson\tis\tsuffering\tfrom\tsleep\tdeprivation. These\tare\tjust\tsome\tof\tthe\tcosts\tyou\tincur\twhen\tnot\tgetting\tenough\tsleep.\tYet some\tpeople\tstill\tdevelop\ta\tmasochistic\tsense\tof\thonor\tabout\tsleep\tdeprivation. They\teven\tbrag\tabout\thow\ttired\tthey\tare.\tDon't\tbe\timpressed.\tIt'll\tcome\tback\tto bite\tthem\tin\tthe\tass.","","Your\testimates\tsuck We're\t all\t terrible\t estimators.\t We\t think\t we\t can\t guess\t how\t long\t something\t will take,\twhen\twe\treally\thave\tno\tidea.\tWe\tsee\teverything\tgoing\taccording\tto\ta\tbest- case\t scenario,\t without\t the\t delays\t that\t inevitably\t pop\t up.\t Reality\t never\t sticks\t to best-case\tscenarios. That's\twhy\testimates\tthat\tstretch\tweeks,\tmonths,\tand\tyears\tinto\tthe\tfuture\tare fantasies.\t The\t truth\t is\t you\t just\t don't\t know\t what's\t going\t to\t happen\t that\t far\t in advance. How\toften\tdo\tyou\tthink\ta\tquick\ttrip\tto\tthe\tgrocery\tstore\twill\ttake\tonly\ta\tfew minutes\tand\tthen\tit\twinds\tup\ttaking\tan\thour?\tAnd\tremember\twhen\tcleaning\tout the\t attic\t took\t you\t all\t day\t instead\t of\t just\t the\t couple\t of\t hours\t you\t thought\t it would?\t Or\t sometimes\t it's\t the\t opposite,\t like\t that\t time\t you\t planned\t on\t spending four\t hours\t raking\t the\t yard\t only\t to\t have\t it\t take\t just\t thirty-five\t minutes.\t We humans\tare\tjust\tplain\tbad\tat\testimating. Even\twith\tthese\tsimple\ttasks,\tour\testimates\tare\toften\toff\tby\ta\tfactor\tof\ttwo\tor more.\tIf\twe\tcan't\tbe\taccurate\twhen\testimating\ta\tfew\thours,\thow\tcan\twe\texpect\tto accurately\tpredict\tthe\tlength\tof\ta\t\\\"six-month\tproject\\\"? Plus,\twe're\tnot\tjust\ta\tlittle\tbit\twrong\twhen\twe\tguess\thow\tlong\tsomething\twill take--we're\ta\tlot\twrong.\tThat\tmeans\tif\tyou're\tguessing\tsix\tmonths,\tyou\tmight\tbe way\t off:\t We're\t not\t talking\t seven\t months\t instead\t of\t six,\t we're\t talking\t one\t year instead\tof\tsix\tmonths. That's\t why\t Boston's\t \\\"Big\t Dig\\\"\t highway\t project\t finished\t five\t years\t late\t and billions\tover\tbudget.\tOr\tthe\tDenver\tInternational\tAirport\topened\tsixteen\tmonths late,\tat\ta\tcost\toverrun\tof\t$2\tbillion. The\t solution:\t Break\t the\t big\t thing\t into\t smaller\t things.\t The\t smaller\t it\t is,\t the easier\tit\tis\tto\testimate.\tYou're\tprobably\tstill\tgoing\tto\tget\tit\twrong,\tbut\tyou'll\tbe\ta lot\t less\t wrong\t than\t if\t you\t estimated\t a\t big\t project.\t If\t something\t takes\t twice\t as long\t as\t you\t expected,\t better\t to\t have\t it\t be\t a\t small\t project\t that's\t a\t couple\t weeks over\trather\tthan\ta\tlong\tone\tthat's\ta\tcouple\tmonths\tover. Keep\t breaking\t your\t time\t frames\t down\t into\t smaller\t chunks.\t Instead\t of\t one twelve-week\t project,\t structure\t it\t as\t twelve\t one-week\t projects.\t Instead\t of guesstimating\tat\ttasks\tthat\ttake\tthirty\thours\tor\tmore,\tbreak\tthem\tdown\tinto\tmore realistic\tsix-to-ten-hour\tchunks.\tThen\tgo\tone\tstep\tat\ta\ttime.","","Long\tlists\tdon't\tget\tdone Start\tmaking\tsmaller\tto-do\tlists\ttoo.\tLong\tlists\tcollect\tdust.\tWhen's\tthe\tlast\ttime you\tfinished\ta\tlong\tlist\tof\tthings?\tYou\tmight\thave\tknocked\toff\tthe\tfirst\tfew,\tbut chances\t are\t you\t eventually\t abandoned\t it\t (or\t blindly\t checked\t off\t items\t that weren't\treally\tdone\tproperly). Long\tlists\tare\tguilt\ttrips.\tThe\tlonger\tthe\tlist\tof\tunfinished\titems,\tthe\tworse\tyou feel\tabout\tit.\tAnd\tat\ta\tcertain\tpoint,\tyou\tjust\tstop\tlooking\tat\tit\tbecause\tit\tmakes you\tfeel\tbad.\tThen\tyou\tstress\tout\tand\tthe\twhole\tthing\tturns\tinto\ta\tbig\tmess. There's\t a\t better\t way.\t Break\t that\t long\t list\t down\t into\t a\t bunch\t of\t smaller\t lists. For\t example,\t break\t a\t single\t list\t of\t a\t hundred\t items\t into\t ten\t lists\t of\t ten\t items. That\t means\t when\t you\t finish\t an\t item\t on\t a\t list,\t you've\t completed\t 10\t percent\t of that\tlist,\tinstead\tof\t1\tpercent. Yes,\tyou\tstill\thave\tthe\tsame\tamount\tof\tstuff\tleft\tto\tdo.\tBut\tnow\tyou\tcan\tlook at\tthe\t small\tpicture\tand\t find\tsatisfaction,\tmotivation,\tand\tprogress.\tThat's\ta\tlot better\tthan\tstaring\tat\tthe\thuge\tpicture\tand\tbeing\tterrified\tand\tdemoralized. Whenever\t you\t can,\t divide\t problems\t into\t smaller\t and\t smaller\t pieces\t until you're\t able\t to\t deal\t with\t them\t completely\t and\t quickly.\t Simply\t rearranging\t your tasks\tthis\tway\tcan\thave\tan\tamazing\timpact\ton\tyour\tproductivity\tand\tmotivation. And\t a\t quick\t suggestion\t about\t prioritization:\t Don't\t prioritize\t with\t numbers\t or labels.\tAvoid\tsaying,\t\\\"This\tis\thigh\tpriority,\tthis\tis\tlow\tpriority.\\\"\tLikewise,\tdon't say,\t\\\"This\tis\ta\tthree,\tthis\tis\ta\ttwo,\tthis\tis\ta\tone,\tthis\tis\ta\tthree,\\\"\tetc.\tDo\tthat\tand you'll\t almost\t always\t end\t up\t with\t a\t ton\t of\t really\t high-priority\t things.\t That's\t not really\tprioritizing. Instead,\t prioritize\t visually.\t Put\t the\t most\t important\t thing\t at\t the\t top.\t When you're\tdone\twith\tthat,\tthe\tnext\tthing\ton\tthe\tlist\tbecomes\tthe\tnext\tmost\timportant thing.\t That\t way\t you'll\t only\t have\t a\t single\t next\t most\t important\t thing\t to\t do\t at\t a time.\tAnd\tthat's\tenough.","","Make\ttiny\tdecisions Big\tdecisions\tare\thard\tto\tmake\tand\thard\tto\tchange.\tAnd\tonce\tyou\tmake\tone,\tthe tendency\tis\tto\tcontinue\tbelieving\tyou\tmade\tthe\tright\tdecision,\teven\tif\tyou\tdidn't. You\tstop\tbeing\tobjective. Once\t ego\t and\t pride\t are\t on\t the\t line,\t you\t can't\t change\t your\t mind\t without looking\t bad.\t The\t desire\t to\t save\t face\t trumps\t the\t desire\t to\t make\t the\t right\t call. And\tthen\tthere's\tinertia\ttoo:\tThe\tmore\tsteam\tyou\tput\tinto\tgoing\tin\tone\tdirection, the\tharder\tit\tis\tto\tchange\tcourse. Instead,\tmake\tchoices\tthat\tare\tsmall\tenough\tthat\tthey're\teffectively\ttemporary. When\t you\t make\t tiny\t decisions,\t you\t can't\t make\t big\t mistakes.\t These\t small decisions\tmean\tyou\tcan\tafford\tto\tchange.\tThere's\tno\tbig\tpenalty\tif\tyou\tmess\tup. You\tjust\tfix\tit. Making\t tiny\t decisions\t doesn't\t mean\t you\t can't\t make\t big\t plans\t or\t think\t big ideas.\t It\t just\t means\t you\t believe\t the\t best\t way\t to\t achieve\t those\t big\t things\t is\t one tiny\tdecision\tat\ta\ttime. Polar\t explorer\t Ben\t Saunders\t said\t that\t during\t his\t solo\t North\t Pole\t expedition (thirty-one\tmarathons\tback-to-back,\tseventy-two\tdays\talone)\tthe\t\\\"huge\tdecision\\\" was\t often\t so\t horrifically\t overwhelming\t to\t contemplate\t that\t his\t day-to-day decision\tmaking\trarely\textended\tbeyond\t\\\"getting\tto\tthat\tbit\tof\tice\ta\tfew\tyards\tin front\tof\tme.\\\" Attainable\t goals\t like\t that\t are\t the\t best\t ones\t to\t have.\t Ones\t you\t can\t actually accomplish\t and\t build\t on.\t You\t get\t to\t say,\t \\\"We\t nailed\t it.\t Done!\\\"\t Then\t you\t get going\t on\t the\t next\t one.\t That's\t a\t lot\t more\t satisfying\t than\t some\t pie-in-the-sky fantasy\tgoal\tyou\tnever\tmeet. \t *Dave\t Demerjian,\t \\\"Hustle\t &\t Flow,\\\"\t Fast\t Company, www.fastcompany.com\/magazine\/123\/hustle-and-flow.html \t +\\\"Maloof\t on\t Maloof:\t Quotations\t and\t Works\t of\t Sam\t Maloof,\\\"\t Smithsonian American\t Art\t Museum, americanart.si.edu\/exhibitions\/online\/maloof\/introduction","CHAPTER COMPETITORS","Don't\tcopy Sometimes\tcopying\tcan\tbe\tpart\tof\tthe\tlearning\tprocess,\tlike\twhen\tyou\tsee\tan\tart student\treplicating\ta\tpainting\tin\ta\tmuseum\tor\ta\tdrummer\tplaying\talong\tto\tJohn Bonham's\tsolo\ton\tLed\tZeppelin's\t\\\"Moby\tDick.\\\"\tWhen\tyou're\ta\tstudent,\tthis\tsort of\timitation\tcan\tbe\ta\thelpful\ttool\ton\tthe\tpath\tto\tdiscovering\tyour\town\tvoice. Unfortunately,\tcopying\tin\tthe\tbusiness\tarena\tis\tusually\tmore\tnefarious.\tMaybe it's\t because\t of\t the\t copy-and-paste\t world\t we\t live\t in\t these\t days.\t You\t can\t steal someone's\t words,\t images,\t or\t code\t instantly.\t And\t that\t means\t it's\t tempting\t to\t try to\tbuild\ta\tbusiness\tby\tbeing\ta\tcopycat. That's\ta\tformula\tfor\tfailure,\tthough.\tThe\tproblem\twith\tthis\tsort\tof\tcopying\tis\tit skips\t understanding--and\t understanding\t is\t how\t you\t grow.\t You\t have\t to understand\twhy\tsomething\tworks\tor\twhy\tsomething\tis\tthe\tway\tit\tis.\tWhen\tyou just\t copy\t and\t paste,\t you\t miss\t that.\t You\t just\t repurpose\t the\t last\t layer\t instead\t of understanding\tall\tthe\tlayers\tunderneath. So\t much\t of\t the\t work\t an\t original\t creator\t puts\t into\t something\t is\t invisible.\t It's buried\t beneath\t the\t surface.\t The\t copycat\t doesn't\t really\t know\t why\t something looks\t the\t way\t it\t looks\t or\t feels\t the\t way\t it\t feels\t or\t reads\t the\t way\t it\t reads.\t The copy\tis\ta\tfaux\tfinish.\tIt\tdelivers\tno\tsubstance,\tno\tunderstanding,\tand\tnothing\tto base\tfuture\tdecisions\ton. Plus,\t if\t you're\t a\t copycat,\t you\t can\t never\t keep\t up.\t You're\t always\t in\t a\t passive position.\t You\t never\t lead;\t you\t always\t follow.\t You\t give\t birth\t to\t something\t that's already\t behind\t the\t times--just\t a\t knockoff,\t an\t inferior\t version\t of\t the\t original. That's\tno\tway\tto\tlive. How\t do\t you\t know\t if\t you're\t copying\t someone?\t If\t someone\t else\t is\t doing\t the bulk\tof\tthe\twork,\tyou're\tcopying.\tBe\tinfluenced,\tbut\tdon't\tsteal.",""]