The problem with dreaming big, is that you may overlook the power of Small.
If you want to build the next big thing, I’m skeptical that you will succeed.
True big catches you off guard, you can’t plan for it. It always starts as Small, and slowly (or very fast) builds its way up.
The main difference between them is the fact that you don’t decide what becomes big, that’s our call. You only choose what Small you’ll show us.
If today’s viral power is going to teach you something, let it be the fact that most success stories nowadays weren’t supposed to be big in the first place.
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Carlos. I’m almost positive that most brilliant ideas didn’t seem so brilliant when they were initially thought up. The ones that transition from small to big are those who don’t let the critics and doubters hold them back. They persevere, even when it seems like a completely ridiculous idea. Think about Twitter – who would have thought it would be what it is today? It’s so limiting (yet so not), so simple (yet so complex) – a community of believers is necessary, but before that, you have to be willing to put your idea out there and push through the initial ‘doubt’ phase.
Oh man, my post idea for the day was going to be titled “The Power of the Itty Bitty”. So … great idea and good job beating me to the punchline! I’ll probably still write it anyways because it’s worth being said, twice!
Nothing can start off as big. A big thing can’t just appear out of nowhere, it has to have a root, a start, a point of origin. And a single starting point can’t be very large.
The only way something can have a “big-like” quality in the start is in the realization of the potential to become big.
I like your last line, “If today’s viral power is going to teach you something, let it be the fact that most success stories nowadays weren’t supposed to be big in the first place.” If you listen to some of the great product companies like Ben & Jerry’s, Celestial Seasonings, etc. they started in basements and garages. Just a few people, with an idea they were passionate about. Their idea wasn’t going to be enormous, but the point is that it did get enormous. I also think that reaching high for your big idea, is still okay and admirable…
It is admirable. I’m just skeptical that it will succeed. Aiming big may carry a lot of frustration with early results, which may lead to discouragement. People who go small and see their low expectations be surpassed, get infused with energy to aim higher. It’s a process, not a first step.
Good stuff. Companies who are struggling always seem to be looking for the next big thing to get them back on top, but since they’ve been neglecting all of these small things, they can’t react to it. By keeping track of the small, you’ll be able to better react when the next big thing comes along.
In my industry many of the performers are former athletes of some sort. I feel like this exact topic is partially why GOOD athletes become so successful. They don’t go in to a game thinking “I’m going to win just cause.” They go in having practiced, and worked up plans, and studied and strategized and done all the little things. Sure, the motivating sentiment might be “I’m going to win” but most can’t win just cause they want to. And those that do win their games that way very seldomly achieve anything later in life…they never learned that big doesn’t just happen big is something that takes time and effort and circumstance.
Small has the numbers. It can take on Big any day of the week.
Wish more people realized this…it’s important to thank and help out those who got you to where you are today.
Very astute observation Carlos, I completely agree with you. I don’t know if you have seen this, but it is a video of a talk given by David Heinemeier-Hansson at Paul Graham’s Startup School last year http://bit.ly/wwtCv where he talks about one of the keys to a successful online enterprise is to not go into the (online) business with the mindset that you are going to be the next Google or Facebook (you have 1:10,000 / 1:100,000 chance of doing so – the odds are stacked against you), but rather, focus on finding customers who are willing to pay you for your exceptional product or service, making sure to take care of their needs, and build your enterprise from there. Taking this route, the odds of building a small, yet successful online enterprise with paying customers are 1:5 or 1:10 , that is, if you’re willing to ‘push through the initial doubt phase’ as per Matt above, and work hard.
Cheers,
Renjie
Carlos: Well said, my friend. I think if we try our hardest, and don’t lose site of what’s realistic, it’s okay to shoot for the stars. There’s nothing wrong with small, and you’re right, many of today’s success stories are things that were never expected to be big in the first place. I say, set progressive goals, don’t try and go all the way at once. That way, you’ll have achievements to celebrate no matter how far you get. (I hope that makes sense, I’m a little sleep-deprived
) Regardless, great post!