Continuing to revisit the underlying themes behind “How to Fail”…

Following up on the concept of over-optimization, another key concept underlying “How to Fail” is the idea to focus on producing instead of perfecting.

People aren’t perfect: why do we expect anything we create to be perfect?

Even if perfection did exist, do you think we would be able to recognize, understand, value and remember it?

Why are we uncomfortable with letting people see our imperfections?

Obviously we don’t want to deliver products and services riddled with errors, mistakes and processes: people don’t care about our problems, they only really care about their own. But we understand that mistakes happen. Own up to it, apologize and fix it: as a company and a person.

Put your quest for perfection to the side and get something out there that solves distinct needs fantastically well, then iterate, iterate, iterate to refine.

In the end, it’s possible to succeed without perfection, but it’s impossible to succeed without producing. Focus your time on what matters.

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Do you have an idea on how to condense the 25 Lessons learned through failure? Poipes took a shot in a blog comment on Killer Startups. What do you think?

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How can you read “How to Fail”?

• Read on the web.
• Download the eBook PDF.
• Read (and download) the PowerPoint presentation on Slideshare.