The Agile Startup: Quick and Dirty Lessons Every Entrepreneur Should Know

Dreamers versus Doers

Too many would-be entrepreneurs are stuck in the land of fairy tales. Dreamers, blinded by the supposed genius of their ideas, fantasize about how marvelous life will be when they’re running the show. As a result of misplaced motivation, they usually bounce from idea to idea, or focus on all the wrong things. They’ll spend months writing a business plan (prematurely), perfecting website colors, printing fancy business cards, and so on. Of course you should dream, just make sure both feet are planted firmly on the ground. Dream where you’ll be in a decade, and plan where you’ll be next year. Knowledge alone isn’t power; it’s potential power. Knowledge combined with action is power. Take massive action in the direction of your dreams. Create a plan that outlines how to get from where you are now to where you ultimately want to be. Be honest with yourself, and determine as quickly as you can whether this is a viable business opportunity or a fantasy. If it turns out the idea won’t work, c’est la vie. Get mad, get over it, and change your business model to make it work. If you’re serious about building a business, be a doer, not a dreamer.

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