It's Not about Getting Results

Today I'm going to be a bit contrarian.

I'm going to offer this idea:

When you're moving towards new and challenging goals, the most important thing is not the results. It's the learning.

Here's the deal:

Results are great, but if we focus exclusively on the results, it can be paralyzing. We're not sure how to get the result, so we think for ages or don't move at all.

Also, getting a result is great, but then what? If you didn't learn, what have you gained? Are you better positioned for the next game?

Learning is much better. If the point of launching a new product isn't to sell, but to learn from the process, then you're more free to take risks, to explore, to suck. Now any outcome is a success, because you learned something.

I was talking to Phoebe about this the other day. She wants to break into the modeling world. She wants to approach agencies. Focusing on the result of being taken in by an agency makes the process difficult and scary. Focusing on an outcome of learning more about the modeling industry and agencies and how it all works and where her sweet spot might be makes the process playful and fun.

So try that on.