How to Succeed by Slowing Down—Without Falling Behind

How to Succeed by Slowing Down—Without Falling Behind - Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Many people feel the urge to rush to the next step, even when they know deep down it’s not rational or justified. There’s this constant desire to go faster, to skip ahead, and as a result, they end up missing important steps or not doing them well enough. Take, for example, someone who wants to launch a software product. They might build the whole thing, try to show it to everyone, and then nothing works. On the flip side, some people spend years perfecting every detail, only to realize after three years that nobody is interested, or that users’ needs have changed completely. That’s even worse.

Getting negative feedback can be discouraging, but it’s also useful—it shows you what to improve. Still, it’s easy to lose motivation when you feel like everyone is against you. There’s a common saying in the startup world: “Build fast, launch fast.” That’s where the concept of the MVP comes in—the Minimum Viable Product. But sometimes, people forget the “valuable” part. They focus on building a product that does everything, but nothing well.

Instead of creating a complete but imperfect product, it’s better to build a perfect but incomplete one. In other words, make something that does one small thing extremely well, rather than trying to cover twenty features at once. Even if your product seems tiny, if it does that one thing better than anyone else, people will notice and come back.

This is even more important if you’re a freelancer. Your reputation is everything. If you try to offer too many features and none of them work well, you’ll lose trust. It’s smarter to find the one thing your users want most, and do it better than anyone else. Give them a user experience that’s far ahead of the competition. Even if your product only does one thing, if it does it much better, people will stick with you.

There’s a definition of MVP that I find very relevant: the minimum effort for the maximum impact. Always aim for the least effort that brings the most impact—whether that’s for your users or for your revenue. Keep this metric in mind: minimum effort, maximum impact.

For example, I once saw a service that didn’t even have a “change password” feature in their settings. If you wanted to change your password, you had to log out and use the “forgot password” link to reset it. That’s it. They didn’t waste time building a fancy password change feature because it didn’t add real value for most users. Instead, they focused all their energy on making their main feature—their AI—better and more accurate, reducing errors and keeping answers up to date. That’s what mattered most to their users.

How to Succeed by Slowing Down—Without Falling Behind - Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

So, as a freelancer, ask yourself: what’s my MVP? What’s the one thing I can do perfectly, even if it’s small? That’s where you should focus.

I often come to this spot surrounded by nature, even if the weather isn’t great. There’s a beautiful tree behind me, and the view is just amazing. Being in a place like this sparks creativity and inspiration. It’s important to find the best environment for yourself, the most fertile ground for new ideas. Just like a tree grows better in rich soil, your ideas will grow faster and stronger in the right environment.

Sometimes, success is simply a matter of being in the right place. In some countries, it’s possible to succeed, but it takes much longer and is much harder. In others, where the entrepreneurial environment is more supportive, you can succeed faster and on a bigger scale. Your surroundings and the people you spend time with have a huge impact on your success, even if it’s indirect.

The same goes for raising funds. Getting funding is just a way to speed up your progress. With more resources, you can move faster, get ahead of the competition, and achieve bigger results. If you’re ahead of the curve, your success will be greater by definition.

This brings us back to the MVP principle: do one thing perfectly, rather than launching something half-baked that nobody wants. Pivot if you need to, but always focus on what brings the most impact for the least effort. This is the essence of the Pareto principle: 20% of your work brings 80% of your results.

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.”
— Arnold H. Glasow

How to Succeed by Slowing Down—Without Falling Behind - Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Key Takeaways

• Don’t rush—take the time to do things right, even if it means doing less.
• Focus on building a perfect but incomplete product, not a complete but imperfect one.
• Find the one thing your users want most and do it better than anyone else.
• Your environment and the people around you matter more than you think.
• Always aim for the minimum effort that brings the maximum impact.
• Remember the Pareto principle: 20% of your actions bring 80% of your results.

Action Steps

• Identify the single most valuable feature you can offer.
• Cut out unnecessary features and focus on perfecting the core.
• Choose your environment and network carefully—they shape your success.
• Regularly ask yourself: Is this the minimum effort for the maximum impact?

Reflection

What’s the one thing you can do better than anyone else? Are you focusing your energy where it matters most?