Social Mode

A reflection on what happens so much in technology, science and, even, art.

In technology we get “sidetracked by [our] tools–like a sculptor who spends all day sharpening her chisels but never sets one to marble, or a novelist who spends all day fiddling with the fonts in his word processing program.” – from a piece about Stephen Wolfram.

Why?

Our tools are so fabulous and sometimes so challenging.

We don’t like risking success.

There are few immediate consequences to us for telling people “it’s in the works”

and so many more contingencies that basically keep us forever in focus groups, font selection, logo design, mission statements, problem framing and all other manners of sidetracking.

How to Avoid?

Value the Do.  Value the Done.  Value the Ship Date.

Write, send, sell, get in front of users, professors, bosses or whoever the end consumer is and get reinforcement directly for your efforts.  They won’t reinforce you for sidetracking, they’ll only want to know what you efforts have done and will do for them.  You’ll learn to value the do.