Ones Not Hundreds

Making something new takes time. So, once you’re ready to show what you’ve made, you tend to believe others are waiting for it. It doesn’t work this way, though. In fact, on the day you launch, others are doing the same—and most folks have their own everyday stuff to deal with.

This can result in your launch feeling like a let-down. Or, you might see a burst of interest on the first day, only to see it fizzle by the next. (Also a let-down.) Many take this as a sign that their idea is no good—and they quit. These people are effectively sabotaged by their own high expectations. This means their (possibly great) idea will never get the attention it should.

As long as it took for you to give your idea form, it’ll take exponentially more to find an audience. As such, you need to recalibrate your expectations and keep putting in time—just like you did when you first built it.

My suggestion: forget about reaching thousands, hundreds, or even tens of users/listeners/readers/viewers. Instead, concentrate on getting just one. Then, establish a relationship with that person, and listen to what s/he has to say. Then, try to find another, the next day.

Continue to listen, support, and talk to these people. As you do, what you’re building will improve—and it’ll start to feel more real to you. And remember: although overnight successes make for great headlines, they’re an illusion. Those you look up to? They started with ones, not hundreds, too.

Sharing options

Sign up to receive new articles by email:

Email *

There’s no charge to subscribe, no spam, and I won’t sell your contact information. You can unsubscribe from this list at any time, with one click.