Fail Faster (1/20): “Don’t have a plan”

It might seem counter-intuitive for me to say this, but having a plan is one of the worst decisions any business can make.

I’m a big Samba/Pagode fan, as every Brazilian should be. You might have never heard of this music style, it has so much energy and passion you feel the need to dance. But you know what’s the most important thing a professional Samba musician has to know? They must know how to improvise.

It reminds me of Jazz in a sense. A group of 5-10 people trying to create something unique for every show, playing by ear most of the time.

If you want to fix your professional or personal life, play it by ear.

We live in a fast-paced environment that’s forever changing, but in the last two decades, it has changed exponentially faster. Your ability to see where the current opportunities are is going to dictate how successful you are.

But! Like everything else in life, it’s about balance. People like you, entrepreneurs, marketers, and hustlers, already see where the opportunities are. And they are out to get your money.

It's easy to get overwhelmed and scared when there’s a new trend every day, and all you want is to have a safe path to follow. These people will sell you that. They will sell you a lie.

There is no magic formula, secret blueprint, or miraculous strategy that will guarantee success. Safety is not real. Instead, the key is to try and fail as many times as you can, as early on as you can.

The trial and error process has proven to be the most effective way to find the best solutions specifically for your needs. Every business is different, so in turn, every solution is different.

Be patient, go slow to go fast. Experiment, try new things, and once you find something that works, stick with it!

Once you find the right solution for you, don't spend energy trying to make "the next thing" work. Spend all your energy taking whatever has already proven to work and making it better.

One of the biggest obstacles to fixing your problems is distractions. We're bombarded with information, opportunities, and ideas every day, and it's easy to get sidetracked chasing after the latest shiny object. But if you want to fix your problems, you need to say no to most of them.

That means resisting the temptation to jump from one strategy to another and instead, doubling down on what works.

“But Gui, that sounds a lot like having a plan!” You say. And I respond “keep reading, did you skip the part where I told you to be patient?”

I know that sticking with something long-term doesn’t sound like “playing by ear” but the takeaway here is: “set the goal in stone but trace the path in pencil”. The thing that’s working this year might not work next year, and you might have to do the whole trial and error thing all over again. And that’s ok! If it works, stick with it until it doesn’t.

Once you've found something that works, the next step is to increase the volume of output. That means doing more of that, consistently and with focus.

Visualize yourself in your mind, holding a magnifying glass out in the sun pointing down to the ground. If the rays are not focused, there's no fire. That's what your energy looks like when you're trying to do too many things at once.

If you want 10 times the results, don't do 10 different things at the same time, do the thing that works 10 times harder. The more you do, the better you'll become. The better you become, the more results you'll see.

Of course, increasing volume isn't always easy. It takes discipline, dedication, and hard work. But I’m sure your problems motivate you to put in the effort.

If you're struggling to increase volume or need some guidance on how to reach your goals, there's no shame in seeking help. Whether it's hiring a coach, joining a mastermind group, or enrolling in a training program, investing in yourself is one of the best things you can do to achieve success.

But remember, there is no formula. Seek help from someone who will guide you through your trial and error process and help you find a specific solution for you.

Visit iks.pt if you're struggling to increase volume and want guidance on reaching your goals, we would be glad to help you!