It's Possible to Over-Iterate

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries popularized the idea of iterating quickly and building minimum viable products.

There's truth to that.

The world moves fast. We have to adapt.

As Jim Collins says, "It's better to fire bullets before firing cannonballs."

But here’s the catch:

It’s possible to over-iterate.

To move so fast that our team can’t keep up.

To create so much change that we end up spinning in circles.

Curious to know if this is you?

Here are four warning signs to watch out for:

1) Our "key lynchpin strategy" feels like it's changing every week.

One week it’s content marketing. The next it’s outbound sales. Then it’s partnerships.

If our team can’t tell what the actual focus is...

We're moving too fast.

A McKinsey study found that companies with inconsistent strategies saw 30% lower revenue growth over five years.

An easy way to know if this is happening…?

Simply ask.

"What would you say our main key strategy is right now?"

If you get several different answers, or blank stares…

You might be changing the strategy too often.

2) Our team is no longer excited to run tests and experiments.

Early on they loved the energy of iteration.

But now, they’re exhausted.

Constant pivots and unfinished ideas kill momentum and morale.

In a survey by Gallup, 74% of employees at companies with frequent, unclear changes reported feeling disengaged.

We've got to check the pulse of our teams regularly.

(Which requires the emotional intuition to spot early signs of burnout.)

3) Our "innovation spending" keeps creeping up as a percentage of revenue.

Testing is great—until it becomes an unchecked drain on resources.

If we're spending more and more on new ideas but seeing fewer returns, something is off.

According to CB Insights, 42% of failed startups cited "lack of a sustainable business model" as a key reason—often due to reckless iteration.

4) We're not learning from our experiments—because we're not giving the results time to mature.

This is the biggest red flag of all.

Tests take time to "breathe."

Some experiments with great results in the first week often cool off in weeks 2-4...

While others start slowly and build gradually.

We won't know unless we let the process unfold the right way.

A Harvard Business Review study found that companies that give initiatives at least six months to develop see 60% more success than those that pivot too quickly.

We can’t learn if we're always chasing the next new thing.

The Takeaway

Iteration is necessary.

But "more" is not always "more."

Iteration without thoughtfulness leads to wasted time, burned-out teams, and stalled progress.

Test.

Adapt.

But give things enough space to evaluate them thoroughly before jumping to the next big idea.