Dreams Version 1.0
This week I've been thinking a lot about MVP or minimum viable product. MVP is a practice I learned through my UX design training that prevents you from getting stuck in analysis by including a fail-safe in the design process. MVP is that fail-safe. It asks that instead of striving for perfection, we put out the product when it has the minimum functionality to attract early adopters. Once we put this minimum product version out there, we will naturally get feedback. This feedback will lead to the next version of the product.
Photo by Mo Eid
I held an event this week and expected it to be a hit, but it wasn't. As the disappointment kicked in, so did the wise woman who wrote about MVPs earlier this week. It was immediately apparent that if I changed my perspective, I could see this as version 1.0 of my "product" and not as the finished product. This outlook would minimize my disappointment and allow me to operate from a higher vibrational frequency, absorb the lessons, and improve upon my creation. The other option would be to sulk that more people hadn't come to my party.
I chose the high road!
I opted to have the party on the Saturday of Halloween weekend, so I was up against some stiff competition. Not to mention many of my good friends were out of town. Plus, I've been out of the social scene for over two years. And the event space owners were expecting their first child, meaning promotion on their end was minimal.
I had a lot working against me, but I'm optimistic, so I charted forward. I had only a handful of people show up, and I'm proud to say that I didn't once think about those who weren't there. I focused on those who were there! This level of focus and presence is one of my favorite things about being in front of an audience! I felt it my obligation to be "on" for my guests. And I was!
It wasn't until I got home that I felt the disappointment kicking in. But, as I said, I nipped that in the bud with design thinking, specifically the idea of MVP. Instead of feeling like a failure, I changed my perspective and began seeing this event as a trial. Although I said I wanted the event to be weekly, I still needed to put things in place to make it so. I still needed to announce dates, sign contracts, and collect money for future events. So really, I was experiencing freedom here. I had just gotten to do a trial run of an event and decide if and how I wanted to move forward.
Suddenly I felt like what I had just experienced was a great thing! I got to try out one of my dreams in reality, with real people, and even make a little bit of money!
I started to think of other parts of my life where this thinking might be beneficial. Where in my life was I sulking that things weren’t perfect? And could I instead shift my perspective to see these areas of my life as iterations of an idea turned reality?
I share this with you so that you can break free from the need for perfection. Get out there and do some trial runs on your dreams! Reach out to those with the things you need to get your projects off the ground. You'd be surprised how many people are willing to share their resources!
Stop striving for perfection and instead aim for version 1.0! Just like any great software and your favorite apps, you’re a work in progress, so see yourself as such!
