filthy hands
Do you have filthy, disgusting hands?
I do.
Absolutely disgusting, filthy callused hands.
As an entrepreneur we need to have cat-like reflexes, being able to pivot and make quick decisions with the most minute information if any at all; We need to know everything — marketing, sales, design, development concepts, and business finance, etc.
You could take out $$$,$$$,$$$.$$ in loans to pay for a more traditional education in every single field possible that will help you make decisions. Or, you can just get your hands dirty and get to work.
When I was younger, my brother and I used to go to some of the houses and buildings my father worked on and help out. For each task my father would explain what we were to do while he simultaneously demonstrated the process, then tell us to get to it. Sure he could have given us a more thorough explanation, walked through each step with us, and guided us through the beginning. Nonetheless, he would always finish with “Sometimes you just have to get your hands dirty and figure it out.”
Simple lessons like this let us know that everything isn’t going to be handed to us, and sometimes you have to figure it out on your own. You may waste some material at first, as it’s expected. But you will learn and get better. As a bonus, you will also have a much stronger sense of accomplishment because of your intimate connection with the process.
Personal lessons like the aforementioned contributed to me becoming the person I am today. Taking this in mind, your first project/business doesn’t have to be your dream idea, but you should do something. One of the many things I keep repeating when I talk to people who want to follow their entrepreneurial dreams is to stop waiting for everything to be perfect.
Just shut up and do it.
Before I heard the concept of MVP or the Lean Development idea, I followed similar principles because of my own lessons learned. Sure building a successful business is about smart planning, and mapping everything out — of course!
However, if you’re a developer and you've never actually done anything outside of your school projects yet you have ‘great ideas’ real experience is what matters.
Regardless of your field. If you are a designer, developer, business person, or into social-media marketing there isn’t any reason to be sitting on your butt.
It’s said that submersing yourself into a foreign culture is one of the best ways to learn a new language. Part of the reason is that when you are all in and feet-first it forces your sink our swim mentality and you easily learn as you go.
Do that with a tiny part of an idea of yours. Go as far as you can.
Dive in head first and get your hands dirty!
