How to Succeed Faster WITHOUT Skipping the Steps

How to Succeed Faster WITHOUT Skipping the Steps - Photo by Andreas Klassen on Unsplash

Many people are in a hurry to get to the next step. Even when they know it’s not rational or justified, they want to go faster, to skip ahead. But by rushing, they often miss important steps or don’t do them well enough. Let’s take the example of launching software: some people want to launch right away, tell everyone about it, and then nothing works. On the other hand, you shouldn’t fall into the opposite trap—spending years perfecting something, only to find out after three years that nobody is interested, or that users’ needs have changed.

Getting negative feedback can be discouraging. Sure, it helps you improve your product, but it can also sap your motivation. There’s a common saying: “Ship fast, ship often.” That’s where the idea of the MVP comes in—the Minimum Viable Product. But sometimes, people forget what “viable” really means. Instead of building a product that does everything but does it poorly, it’s better to build something that does one thing perfectly, even if it’s incomplete.

Focus on doing one thing extremely well. Instead of juggling 20 features at once, pick the one that matters most to your users and make it shine. If your product does almost nothing, but does that one thing better than anyone else, people will still come to you.

I once read a definition of MVP that stuck with me: the minimum effort for the maximum impact. Always aim for the least effort that brings the most impact—whether for your users or your revenue. This is the metric to keep in mind: minimum effort, maximum impact.

Take OpenAI as an example. They love MVPs. For a long time, there was no way to change your password from the settings. The only way was to log out and use the “forgot password” link. That’s it. They didn’t waste time building a fancy password-changing feature because it didn’t add real value. Their focus was on making their AI better, not on small settings.

So, as a freelancer, it’s even more important to focus on your MVP. Your reputation is just you. If you try to offer too many features and none of them work well, it’s better to do one thing perfectly. Find out what your users want most, and deliver that with a user experience that’s better than the competition.

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

How to Succeed Faster WITHOUT Skipping the Steps - Photo by Rifki Kurniawan on Unsplash

Environment matters too. I love coming to places surrounded by nature. Even if the weather isn’t perfect, the view inspires creativity and new ideas. Just like a tree grows faster in fertile soil, your ideas grow better in the right environment. In some countries, it’s easier and faster to succeed because the entrepreneurial environment is more fertile. The people you surround yourself with and the place you live in can make a huge difference, even if it’s indirect.

Raising funds is another way to speed up your success. Money is a lever—it lets you move faster, get ahead, and achieve bigger things. If you’re ahead of your competitors, you’re already winning.

This all ties back to the Pareto Principle: 20% of your efforts bring 80% of your results. Focus on what matters most.

Teaching is also the best way to learn for the long term. When you teach others, you reinforce what you know and structure your knowledge better. And if you can make others happy and help them succeed, you’ve truly won.

Sometimes, you need to change your habits. Don’t wait for time or money to magically appear. You have to make time and find the money yourself. Even a small amount set aside each day can be enough to start something new. Money comes and goes, but time only moves forward. If you waste two weeks, that’s two weeks of your life gone forever.

In the end, the goal is to be happy. If you want something, start now. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
— Chinese Proverb

If your journey is beautiful, you won’t even care where it leads—you’ll simply enjoy the ride.

How to Succeed Faster WITHOUT Skipping the Steps - Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Key Takeaways

• Don’t rush—do fewer things, but do them better.
• Focus on the MVP: minimum effort, maximum impact.
• Your environment and the people around you matter for your success.
• Money is a lever, but time is irreplaceable.
• Teaching others helps you learn more deeply.
• Start now—don’t wait for perfect conditions.

Action Steps

• Identify the one thing your users want most and do it better than anyone else.
• Create a fertile environment for your ideas—change your surroundings if needed.
• Set aside a small amount of time and money each day for your project.
• Teach what you learn to reinforce your knowledge.

Reflection

What’s the one thing I can do today that will have the biggest impact on my success? Am I focusing on what really matters, or am I spreading myself too thin?