When you’re a start-up or beginning a new project, it’s analogous to making a quilt.
There are different ways to approach the work. In one scenario, you buy all the fabric and backing, cut out all the squares, set up your sewing area, and spend your time getting everything all ready to go. In another scenario, once you have the vision and the initial supplies, you begin sewing. At the end of the same increment of time, one person will have things all laid out, but the second person will have the initial rows of a sewn quilt. This allows others to see the results and get a tangible sense of what the vision will look like when it’s realized.
If you’re at the beginning stage of something new, it’s so tempting to spend all your efforts getting things in place. A more fruitful option may be to focus on one output that is important and make it visible as soon as possible. The process to get there may be messier than with the first person, but never underestimate the power of short-term results.
