Your Finished Product

“What does it take to realize you’re good at something?

We hope we’re good…but when the crowd doesn’t cheer loud enough we begin to wonder.

We think we’re good…but then we get envious of the person doing a similar thing.

We start to believe we’re good…but we don’t get the right pats on the back from the right people.

We look for something we’re good at…but if we might be good at it, then it must be something everyone is good at, so it’s not worth very much.

So what’s it going to take?” -Gabe Anderson

The good news is no one has to see your finished product until you decide it’s ready.

But the key word in the sentence is “you.”

Make sure the reason you’re not shipping your work is you.

You still think it can be better.

Not what you think other people will think of it.

If you decide it’s a finished product, then it’s a finished product. The audience’s reaction is not relevant to your decision to ship.

For inspiration, watch this 2002 clip of The Killers now anthemic, mega-hit, record breaking song “Mr. Brightside.” (Notice the crowd barely paying attention and the smattering of polite applause at the end.)