The Smart Way To Begin Your Busines: Reasons To Quit Part II

We’re still talking about some important questions to ask yourself to ensure you’re doing work that matters:

Will this change behavior?

Is what you’re working on really going to change anything? Don’t add something unless it has a real impact on how people use your product.

Is there an easier way?

Whenever you’re working on something, ask, “Is there an easier way?” You’ll often find this easy way is more than good enough for now. Problems are usually pretty simple. We just imagine that they require hard solutions.

What could you be doing instead?

What can’t you do because you’re doing this? This is especially important for small teams with constrained resources. That’s when prioritization is even more important. If you work on A, can you still do B and C before next month? If not, would you rather have B and C instead of A? If you’re stuck on something for a long period of time, that means there are other things you’re not getting done.

Is it really worth it?

Is what you’re doing really worth it? Is this meeting worth pulling six people off their work for an hour? Is it worth pulling an all nighters tonight, or could you just finish it up tomorrow? Is it worth getting all stressed out over a press release from a competitor? Is it worth spending your money on advertising? Determine the real value of what you’re about to do before taking the plunge.

We Said This: don’t be timid about your conclusions. Sometimes abandoning what you’re working on is the right move, even if you’ve already put in a lot of effort. Don’t throw good time after bad work.