While working on a product, we are bound to hit road blocks sooner or later, and when it happens, you can either throw in the towel, or keep going. Obviously, what I want to talk about here is when you stick to it.
It can be hard to clearly define whether sticking to it is perseverance or obstinance.
If it works, it will be perseverance, because we kept going, and through hardships, we made it. (”Per aspera, ad astra”) But if it fails, then it becomes obstinance, because we might have gotten signals or even have seen that something was wrong, yet we kept going.
Truth be told, when facing a road block, we can not completely predict whether we can make it through.
According to the situations, there are a few tools we can use to manage the road block:
- Timeboxing: Setting a hard deadline for how much longer we should work on something without seeing improvement / results. This is also particularly effective against perfectionism.
- Existence proof: If others somehow achieved a similar outcome, then we shouldn’t stop. Especially if their solutions are bad and yet they’re making money. This one works well to keep energy through a project, as well as serving as a proof that it has worked before.
- Opportunity Cost: Are there opportunities we’re missing because we’re stuck on this? This is great because it forces us to assess whether resources are allocated in the best manner.
- Impact: Is the product noticeably better than alternatives in the market or will be there soon? If the answer is no to both, consider stopping.
100% losers quit, failing is still a step towards success.