Action and progress over perfection

I frequently come across people who know there is something they need to change, there is a new path they want to follow, a new activity they want to pick up, or that simply something doesn’t work for them…

But then at the same time they deal with the fear of getting started, the fear of not being good enough or able to deliver on the new challenge, the paralysing fear of acceptance and whether the outcome is worth the effort…or if what they do will be (or perceived by other people as) perfect…

As in life, similarly in the data and AI world, there is a lot of that from companies and individuals who …

”are not quite there yet”

“are not mature enough to do this”

“agree we need to do this, but we don’t know where to start”

“yes, but the risk is higher for us”

“we are different, and it’s not going to work for us”

“let’s wait until our clients ask for it”

“I don’t have all the budget right now, and I can wait until I know I can get it perfect”

“my executive team won’t green light this until they see a solid and comprehensive plan"

You get it... and I'm sure you can add even more fear-based thoughts that come to mind.

My response to that is: whatever the reason, whatever the situation, there’s never been a better time than now - the present.

This doesn’t mean you necessarily act impulsively, just that all it takes is a first (small) step. And that step doesn’t need to be perfect (if that even exists), it just needs to be now.

Spark a conversation, do you research, understand the problem and the variables you’re dealing with. You don’t need to make a big investment that will take years to materialise, you don’t need to have the perfect business plan, you don’t need to try and boil the ocean, you don’t need to question the outcome, you just need to take action.

Also, select your partners in crime and counter-parts wisely. Don't surround yourself with people who will put you down when something goes wrong, oftentimes projecting their own experiences and fear based thinking onto you. Simultaneously, you also don’t want someone who pushes you to set unrealistic expectations. What you need is a realistic optimist to support you on this journey and give yourself permission to try, or even fail but in the end encourages you to just do it.

You'll learn what worked (or didn’t), you'll learn what can be improved and what should be done differently and then prepare the next (and improved) action or iteration and see where it lands. Keep going, keep showing up. 

The only way to find out if you can build the perfect product, implement the best AI use case, create the best analytics infrastructure, generate value for your clients through your work...or become a better version of yourself… is only by doing it!