Lessons in poverty: the importance of progress
I’m shocked at how difficult it is for people to understand the importance of making progress. People get so caught up in ego and ideals that we forget the only thing that guarantees our failure is lack of forward movement. Stand still and the game is over. Regardless of how accomplished you are climbing the tallest mountain still requires a lot of steps.
Want a million dollars? Figure out how to easily make $1,000 and replicate it 1,000 times.
Want to get married? Have a good date.
I’m in Japan where I’ve just launched a new project called OtoRevo within a old Japanese company in a old industry. The most difficult thing for me to explain has been the concept of “beta.” The idea that not everything is going to be perfect in the beginning but what’s important is direction not perfection. Progress builds momentum and momentum is priceless. When you constantly show progress and momentum people are willing to accept imperfections.
Progress means understanding that you will do some things wrong and may even have to go backwards a step or two.
Progress means deciding on where you want to end up and taking quick short steps everyday towards that goal.
Progress means remembering that making $1,000 brings you extremely close to $1,000,000.
September 20th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
I love this piece….you said it so well. Instead of looking at the overall problem and becoming overwhelmed, you break it up into small goals and more progressively forward to your big goal….and I like the fact that it doesn’t have to be perfect, your right, as long as you are moving in that direction, you can improvise as you go and clean it up as you get better. I needed to be reminded of this today, funny how sometimes you get directed to a certain thing to learn from it.
September 20th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
Yes, I agree with you , too .
You are right , nothing will be realized without bases , and the bases can not be built up without progresses. Of course we can not take no account of some special cases. But most of that knid of special cases which just succeed without a progress always don’t last long … Cause they don’t have progresses , lol…
So just keep your mind and make it sure that you are right .
And just go your way .