Sam On Software

My father told me that story. I’m not sure where he got it from, a book perhaps. It really struck a chord with me because I remembered when we had been looking for a house in the early 90s, soon after we moved to Australia.

I remember how we used to talk about the days offerings when we got back to our hotel room. “What did you think of the one with the large gate ?” “It didn’t have as much room as the Sunken Lounge House” “Ahh but the garden on the hill top house was fantastic” “yes but it would be a lot of work”.

We literally referred to each house by it’s key feature. “The hill top house”, “The sunken lounge house”, “The garden house”. I think that key features, simply due to them being the distinguishing feature used to differentiate one from another take on a significance in decision making that can out-weigh their real-world importance.

This of course is the lesson of the story. No one will buy the ‘Railroad House’ ! So you have to turn it into the ‘Large Screen TV house’.

I was reminded of this idea recently when I happened to pass an old haggard looking rental mini-van. Only it wasn’t an old haggard looking rental mini-van it was a van with an amazing painting on it’s side, it was a Wicked Camper : Wicked Campers

Something tells me that the people at Wicked Campers understand the power of a key feature.

It’s funny because I don’t know what your trying to do but I know the problem.

The problem is you think you’re learning about Ancient Greece when actually you’re playing tennis.

If you wanted to become an expert on Ancient Greece what would you do ?

Read about Ancient Greece, talk to experts, write your own insights and have them reviewed, visit historical sites, study ruins, above all think about and model Ancient Greece in your mind. Do this rigourously for 20 years and you will become a world renowned expert on Ancient Greece.

How’s that going to work for tennis ? Interviewing coaches, watching tournements, studying the biomechanics of a perfect serve and volley, writing analysis of why and how tennis players improve.
Do that for 20 years and ? You will get soundly beaten by any regular social player. Your game will suck.

You do not improve at tennis by knowing more about tennis, you improve at tennis by practice.

There are ‘knowing’ problems and ‘being able to do’ problems.

The answer for ‘knowing’ problems is to think and study.

The answer for ‘being able to do’ problems is to practice.

Your problem is a ‘being able to do’ problem not a ‘knowing’ problem. Don’t argue, think about it, it is isn’t it ?

“But even ‘being able to do’ problems require some analysis and thought, atheletes have coaches, successful people are introspective, we shouldn’t minimize the importance of knowledge and thinking!”.

Yes we should, because it will come, it’s easy, it’s fun, that’s why you do too much of it, forget the easy thinking, reading, theorising and go do some practice, don’t worry, you won’t forget to think about it.

Obviously this isn’t new, even the clothing manufacturers are onto it, Just Do It.

We are very lucky to have a Barry along to talk about his startup.