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Quite so. I'm thinking that the whole lean startup movement in some ways exacerbates the schlep blindness problem PG refers to. If you expect instant rewards/fe

by arbuge 14y ago

Quite so. I'm thinking that the whole lean startup movement in some ways exacerbates the schlep blindness problem PG refers to. If you expect instant rewards/feedback/traction before discarding an idea, you might sometimes be overlooking something.

gregpilling 14y ago
I agree. People who "pivot" every few months don't give enough time to figure out whether or not the idea will work. Sometimes the path to success is just to keep going, not to change direction.
thebear 14y ago
Good point. I've always felt uncomfortable with the lean startup mantra "If it's not working out, pivot." If something's not working out, it could be for one of two reasons: either you're doing the wrong thing, or what you're doing needs more time and hard work, that is, you just met the schlep. Deciding which one of the two you're looking at is incredibly hard. I don't think that there are any rules. The pivoting mantra just kinda glosses over that whole problem. The best advice I could distil from it would be, "If it's not working out, don't cling to it at all cost, consider pivoting." Ok.
- mdda 14y ago
  IMHO, this isn't really what the Lean Startup mantra is all about. Lean-wise, one is really trying to see where there is customer/product fit. When there is, it's like finding a filter's resonance point : Suddenly you've found people's hot buttons. [ no, no, meh, hmm, YESYESYES, hmm, meh, no, no] The key to the Lean part is only doing a schlep when you've identified that it'll pay off once done. Don't schlep until you've got evidence that the destination will be worth the trip.
  - thebear 14y ago
    Don't schlep until you've got evidence that the destination will be worth the trip. I see what you're saying. I just think that this leaves unresolved the one crucial question: what constitutes "evidence that the destination will be worth the trip?"

by arbuge 14y ago

gregpilling 14y ago

I agree. People who "pivot" every few months don't give enough time to figure out whether or not the idea will work. Sometimes the path to success is just to keep going, not to change direction.

thebear 14y ago

Good point. I've always felt uncomfortable with the lean startup mantra "If it's not working out, pivot." If something's not working out, it could be for one of two reasons: either you're doing the wrong thing, or what you're doing needs more time and hard work, that is, you just met the schlep. Deciding which one of the two you're looking at is incredibly hard. I don't think that there are any rules. The pivoting mantra just kinda glosses over that whole problem. The best advice I could distil from it would be, "If it's not working out, don't cling to it at all cost, consider pivoting." Ok.

mdda 14y ago
IMHO, this isn't really what the Lean Startup mantra is all about. Lean-wise, one is really trying to see where there is customer/product fit. When there is, it's like finding a filter's resonance point : Suddenly you've found people's hot buttons. [ no, no, meh, hmm, YESYESYES, hmm, meh, no, no] The key to the Lean part is only doing a schlep when you've identified that it'll pay off once done. Don't schlep until you've got evidence that the destination will be worth the trip.
- thebear 14y ago
  Don't schlep until you've got evidence that the destination will be worth the trip. I see what you're saying. I just think that this leaves unresolved the one crucial question: what constitutes "evidence that the destination will be worth the trip?"