The existential risk of an optimized approach to creation. Attracting your one thousand true fans can be the backbone of the life, and the Work, that you want to do every day. Work that makes an impact on the part of the world you were born to impact.
I appreciate your points, but I don't believe this is possible for everyone:
"You don’t have to choose. You can succeed materially, while staying true to the unique story that’s only yours to tell."
Not everyone has a compelling story. Not everyone has good ideas. Some people prefer to get a job that they don't love so they can do something else in their free time. I think that's fine to acknowledge, and they aren't making a mistake in doing so.
And, while I disagree with much of the lean startup movement, I do agree that testing and iterating is critical for early development. I've seen too many people waste years of their life trying to force something to work. Testing and iterating is a way of listening and it's absolutely critical.
I 100% agree that testing and iterating is critical for early development. My point here is that the feedback you get through that process, for those who want to avoid audience capture, iterating should be done within the confines of the thing that you're passionate about building, rather than as the end all be all compass for your career. In other words, lean startup is a great emissary, and a terrible master.
However, I'm not sure about your first point. While I agree that this approach is not for everyone, I do think it is POSSIBLE for everyone. I don't believe that some people are just cursed with bad ideas and a boring life. They may not want to do the work to bring the core of what makes them unique and interesting and valuable into their work, whether because they want to work a job they don't love so they can do something else, or they simply want to optimize for the most money, or any number of other reasons, but that doesn't mean it's not possible for them.
I think we disagree on what makes people happy. I know plenty of artists who know their art would not make a living for them, so they work other jobs they don't love to fund their art. I know others that work in jobs that have specific hours so they can be there for their kids while they are growing up, even if they don't like their job. I don't see those are settling, as there likely isn't a possible path to do what they love.
Happiness, for me, is being at peace with your situation. Sometimes you can overcome limitations, but other times you cannot. In the latter case I don't think it's for lack of effort or trying.
That was my take from your piece. Or maybe we agree, you let me know!
Hmmm. I don't see those situations as settling either. Merely a choice to pursue something else (family, or art without the commerce aspect), rather than creating a business out of your unique passions. My sense is there is more than one way to be happy, and we all get to make our own choices about that.
Fair enough! As they don't have the flexibility or freedom to do what they want I thought they would fall outside your framing in this article. Glad to hear we agree!
It's the "because I don't have flexibility or freedom I can't do what I want" that I take issue with. Not because it's wrong, but because it's not useful.
That narrative is not wrong, but it's also not right. That narrative is no more or less correct than plenty of others one could choose to tell oneself. It's just that that one (I can't do XYZ because of ABC thing I can't control) happens to be quite disempowering.
Again, not right or wrong. More useful vs less useful. I went into this dynamic in detail in the article I linked above, if this is interesting.
Or, we're probably due for a zoom at this point so we could hash it out F2F ;)
I appreciate your points, but I don't believe this is possible for everyone:
"You don’t have to choose. You can succeed materially, while staying true to the unique story that’s only yours to tell."
Not everyone has a compelling story. Not everyone has good ideas. Some people prefer to get a job that they don't love so they can do something else in their free time. I think that's fine to acknowledge, and they aren't making a mistake in doing so.
And, while I disagree with much of the lean startup movement, I do agree that testing and iterating is critical for early development. I've seen too many people waste years of their life trying to force something to work. Testing and iterating is a way of listening and it's absolutely critical.
I 100% agree that testing and iterating is critical for early development. My point here is that the feedback you get through that process, for those who want to avoid audience capture, iterating should be done within the confines of the thing that you're passionate about building, rather than as the end all be all compass for your career. In other words, lean startup is a great emissary, and a terrible master.
However, I'm not sure about your first point. While I agree that this approach is not for everyone, I do think it is POSSIBLE for everyone. I don't believe that some people are just cursed with bad ideas and a boring life. They may not want to do the work to bring the core of what makes them unique and interesting and valuable into their work, whether because they want to work a job they don't love so they can do something else, or they simply want to optimize for the most money, or any number of other reasons, but that doesn't mean it's not possible for them.
Or maybe I'm misunderstanding your point?
I think we disagree on what makes people happy. I know plenty of artists who know their art would not make a living for them, so they work other jobs they don't love to fund their art. I know others that work in jobs that have specific hours so they can be there for their kids while they are growing up, even if they don't like their job. I don't see those are settling, as there likely isn't a possible path to do what they love.
Happiness, for me, is being at peace with your situation. Sometimes you can overcome limitations, but other times you cannot. In the latter case I don't think it's for lack of effort or trying.
That was my take from your piece. Or maybe we agree, you let me know!
Hmmm. I don't see those situations as settling either. Merely a choice to pursue something else (family, or art without the commerce aspect), rather than creating a business out of your unique passions. My sense is there is more than one way to be happy, and we all get to make our own choices about that.
I wrote an interesting article that I think might be relevant to our disconnect, comparing Freudian psychology to Adlerian psychology. Would be interested if you see that showing up here too: https://www.leadinsideout.io/newsletter/the-stories-top-performers-tell-themselves
Fair enough! As they don't have the flexibility or freedom to do what they want I thought they would fall outside your framing in this article. Glad to hear we agree!
Nearly.
It's the "because I don't have flexibility or freedom I can't do what I want" that I take issue with. Not because it's wrong, but because it's not useful.
That narrative is not wrong, but it's also not right. That narrative is no more or less correct than plenty of others one could choose to tell oneself. It's just that that one (I can't do XYZ because of ABC thing I can't control) happens to be quite disempowering.
Again, not right or wrong. More useful vs less useful. I went into this dynamic in detail in the article I linked above, if this is interesting.
Or, we're probably due for a zoom at this point so we could hash it out F2F ;)
Oh, that's not my opinion - that was my reading of your article. Perhaps I missed the point!
This one spoke right to my soul today! I hate feeling boxed into a single subject.
100% Ben, thank you!!