[Part III] Resolve Your Ideas Into The World [Short]
You only learn the full lesson — begin to taste the full spectrum of flavour in the domain of mastery you are focused on — when you bring an idea to fruition. I have only tasted the beginnings of most of my ideas into the world. In truth, I have finished nothing of significance. As a result, I have not truly tasted any of the fruits of my labours. More than this, I know unequivocally that in those final stages of success and true mastery, I am only a beginner.
I have a thousand excuses that I could give you (which I use to keep myself warm on some occasions) some of which are extremely valid reasons why all of my major projects remain unresolved. (I set out to build the Sun and fly to the centre of the galaxy, without realizing the length and complexity of the journey.) But the truth that I have learned from this existential experience is:
“You only grow to your fullest height, by crossing the finish line.”
There is a difference between the idea of starting a business, the action and practice of building it, and the experience of running it. Every climber and mountaineer knows that there is a world of difference between completing 9/10ths of the route, and reaching the summit. Every athlete can tell you the chasm between gold and silver.
I have come to believe that the most important lessons are found in the final phase before the finish line. I have found this to be true in everything that I do across a broad range of domains. Those final stages of refinement and resolution in doing anything, have an enormous impact on final quality.
However, the quality of the end result is not that important. Especially not at first. You will get better with time. The real value is in doing what you set out to do, in and of itself. And in the knowledge, experience, character, will, strength, and perspective that you gain from the completed journey. Most importantly, from the resolve that you discover within yourself by bringing a desire from your mind into existence.
You learn what it takes to be something, by doing it. Setting a goal to run a marathon, but not even reaching the starting line, speaks volumes. It diagnosis precisely where the main issue that you face resides, and in all probability, is an issue that exists everywhere in your life, in everything that you do. Concepts like refinement, efficiency, or productivity shouldn’t even be on your radar at this stage.
If you develop skill in Resolving Your Ideas Into The World — taking an idea, turning it into a goal, developing the plan, systems, processes, skills, and habits to do so (by doing it), ultimately to a finished project — you can apply that entire methodology to anything. Moreover, it gives you an experiential and emotional baseline for what it looks and feels like.
If I could go back to my younger self, and tell him one thing, it would probably be something along the lines of:
“It doesn’t matter what they think. Just get on the scoreboard, and then get there again and again.”
