You know what “MVP” means on Sky Sports: Most Valuable Player the one who drags the whole team forward. But if you’re thinking about launching something new, especially after years deep in corporate quicksand, MVP has a second, much handier meaning: Minimum Viable Product. That’s the first rough draft of your new “thing” newsletter, course, consultancy stripped down to the essentials. No excess baggage, no bells and whistles, just enough to see if the damn thing floats.
“The best product you have is the one you actually ship.”
I’m not preaching from a mountaintop, I’ve been right there with you. Waiting for the better camera, the best platform, the sexiest logo. There’s always another “must-have” that promises to make you ready, but all it really does is kick your momentum in the shins.
Paralysis by Analysis (and Endless Tools)
Platforms for creating and selling online have never been cheaper or easier. Paradoxically, that avalanche of “solutions” just makes it harder to start. You can spend weeks dithering over which tool to use.
“The paradox of choice: too many options stall action.”
A Six Pack and a Sports Car… (Spoiler: Not Happening)
There’s an old saying: if knowledge was really the problem, we’d all have six-packs and Porsches. It’s not information we’re lacking. You know what to do, you’ve read the blogs, watched the TED talks, listened to podcasts until your AirPods died. The gap isn’t knowledge. It’s execution.
So, what’s stopping us? Why can’t we just do the thing?
Try This:
Take whatever you’re hesitating to ship maybe it’s a landing page, a LinkedIn post, or a pilot episode and put it out there. Today. Imperfect and all. Don’t overthink, act, then iterate.
Don’t Have A Niche Yet? Start Anyway
Stop waiting for “your thing” to be perfectly formed. Your first try is just there to get you moving. No rule says your newsletter or offering can’t pivot later. In fact, it probably will. The version you launch with almost certainly won’t be what earns you dinner money in a year.
“Your business baby won’t come out fully formed.”
Somewhere along the way, ‘pivot’ stopped being a dirty word and became a badge of honour. Your favourite creators? They all started with rough sketches, not Sistine Chapels.
Try This:
If your “big idea” is hazy, just pick something that sparks any interest today and run with it for a month. Treat it like a 30-day experiment. Small stakes, big learning.
Worried It Won’t Be Perfect? Good News, Nobody’s Watching
Here’s the real kicker: at the start, the only people seeing your work are… crickets. Maybe your cousin, and a spam bot from Russia. So drop the fear of imperfection. Your logo, your first podcast, your Zoom call with shaky WiFi, no one’s judging (because hardly anyone’s there to see it). This is your practice arena, not the main stage.
“You can’t learn to surf by reading about waves.”
Those early lessons, the ones found in messing up publicly, adjusting on the fly, laughing at your own cringe? That’s the fast track to competence. The stuff you learn while hesitating? Zero value.
Action Steps to Stop Procrastinating and Start Doing
Here’s how to actually get off the starting blocks:
Pick one “thing” to launch. Stop polling friends. Decide.
Set a 48-hour deadline. Yes, days, not weeks.
Ship an ugly version. Literally send it to one human if you have to.
Ask for one piece of feedback. Don’t crowdsource your self-worth. Just a reality check.
Review and tweak, don’t relaunch from scratch. Progress over perfection.
Try This:
Share your scrappy MVP in the comments or with a mate who’ll give you honest feedback (not just a polite pat on the back). Accountability tightens focus fast.
Just Ship It, Or As Casey Neistat Says, “Do What You Can’t” (Some Inspiration)
Casey Neistat, YouTube’s king of “just effing do it”, built a career and a life by breaking the waiting game. Didn’t have a TV deal? Made his own series. Not pretty enough (his words)? Who cares. No film school? Made better stories than most grads. He’s living proof: nobody needs to give you permission, and perfection is a bad habit.
“In this new world, no one knows anything. Just do what you can’t.”
Wrap-Up: Start Ugly, Start Now
We spend far too long waiting… for the right time, the perfect tools, or some mythical sign that “now’s the moment.” But if you want a shot at something meaningful and maybe a little more cash on the side just launch the scrappy version and learn from that. Your MVP will make you the MVP of your own reinvention.
Try This:
Reply to this email or tag me on social. What’s your “just ship it” moment? If you’re stuck or want an honest nudge, hit reply and I’ll help you bust through the blockers.