Category: Theory

Go DO Something

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I am not a motivational speaker but I get a great chance to talk with many students and YOPOs (young professionals) and realize most people don’t do shit. So many people including myself criticize others about businesses they created or are working on. I always jump to conclusions and start ripping apart these lovely dreams and hopes of businesses as fast as possible.

Now just stop your bitching and as Ali G says “respec� them. I totally commend people who are creating things over people who whine about their jobs and nag on people actually trying to make something. Even if you are creating something not to make money or a viable business just doing ANYTHING is a great thing. You learn what not to do and meet so many great people for future endeavors.

Personally, when interviewing people I am really impressed when they have created a site/company/product, regardless what happened, the fact they took initiative is great. Even if it is something small that is awesome.

“Sorry for a stupid analogy but you won’t run a marathon without warming up around the track.”

If you are doing something let me know in the comments. Why are you reading this go do something!

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14 Responses to “Go DO Something”

  • Joe McCarthy
    March 18th, 2006
    9:25 am

    I, too, have a predisposition toward doers, and your final exhortation brings up a frequent dilemma (for me): reading vs. doing [other things]. I think it is often helpful to prepare for doing something new (which for me includes reading), and there is an element of art and/or luck in deciding when one is well enough prepared to just do it. During a good part of my life, I tended to err on the side of caution, feeling I was never adequately prepared, but I’ve been increasingly willing to follow the Zen proverb “leap and the net will appear”. One of the most inspiring resources for me in building up the gumption to just do something has been — and continues to be — the book “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” by Susan Jeffers (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0449902927). Of course, anyone interested in doing something will have to decide whether they want to take the time to read it.

  • peter caputa
    March 18th, 2006
    11:00 am

    Like my man, Joe, I am predisposed to doers too. It is very easy to be a critic. And very few critics know how to DO. I tend to ignore critics these days. It is very distracting to pay attention to them.

    Coincidentally, I just published a post about whether bootstrapping startups should hire consultants. Although consultants are usually doing something too. And my point was not to disparage consultants. But, often consultants try to sell their services to startups when that cash or time should be used for other means. And you should find friends in arms that can advise you how to get to the break even point. And your focus should be on cash flow. Not figuring out the perfect strategy. So, if a consultant can’t help you with cash flow, you shouldn’t bother.

    In the same way, if a critic isn’t constructively criticizing or offering actionable feedback, they should be ignored.

  • Sean Tierney
    March 18th, 2006
    11:35 am

    amen brotha, that’s why we created Grid7. We didn’t just want to “do something,” we wanted to help others “do something” as well.

    good post

    -sean

  • What's the Deal?
    March 19th, 2006
    6:15 pm

    Nike says: Just do it…and so does Noah Kagan…

    I periodically read up on Noah Kagan’s blog.
    Just for a background, Noah works at Facebook as a project manager and has a cool insight into how things work over there in California.I don’t know Noah, nor have I ever spoken to him.  But…

  • Taylor
    March 20th, 2006
    6:37 am

    My two favorite maxims (courtesy of my father):

    Go big or go home

    If you’re not the lead dog the view never changes

  • Steven Chan
    March 21st, 2006
    5:57 pm

    I am doing something.
    I am reading your blog.

    Hope you’re doing well, Noah!

  • Hollyster
    March 22nd, 2006
    2:51 pm

    yes, it’s hard to just DO something. I guess that’s why a friend of mine (Mike Li) and I did this site: goghetto where you can confess your *ghetto* ways online.

    Our motto is: goghetto or gohome!

    Check it out: http://www.goghetto.com

  • Shannon
    March 22nd, 2006
    4:34 pm

    I can’t STOP doing things! Too little time in this life to do nill. I started “Project Slinky” for such a reason - get together a bunch of creative folks to motivate each other to DO something, god dammit. Join in (coming soon. http://www.projectslinky.com)

    You can find out about it on my website under “projects.”

    Good luck to you and your doing,

  • Pamela Stewart
    April 3rd, 2006
    10:09 pm

    Right on Noah! Good post. It is refreshing to hear a fresh-faced righteous young person with positive things to say.

    I have spent the last 10 years as a consultant to corporations around the world. And you know what? It is the very rare person inside who does not despise the very mortar that makes up the foundation of their building. Not to mention their cube, their boss, “the company,” HR, “management,” ad nauseum.

    But the rare bird? The person who acts as though they are self employed while an employee and takes advantage of every opportunity they can while getting a paycheck from “the man.”

    My new venture is helping frustrated creatives bust out of their jobs and start their own business. (www.escapefromcubiclenation.com) But the secret? It isn’t the incessent whiners who will do well as entrepreneurs. It is those like you who see that happiness at work is a state of mind.

  • Karel
    June 8th, 2006
    6:14 pm

    I’ve done this, and more sites coming!
    http://www.ptrades.com

    Thanks for the inspiration, Noah.

  • Simonne Matthew
    August 24th, 2006
    9:40 am

    Hey, this is exaclty why I quit my cozy and well paid job last year - I was doing nothing but reports to 2-3 levels of bosses, who I’m sure never read them and I made sure to spend their marketing budgets year after year. So one day, I looked my boss into his eyes and said “You are not going to see me again, as I quit”. “Starting when?”, he asked. “Starting tomorrow!”. Actually tomorrow came after two months, but it was a great feeling - I was finally free to do something. And I did: I set up a publishing house, then I sold it. Very recently I started three things in the same time, plus I’m making websites for all my friends who want to have one. I’m not charging them for that, it’s pro bono - they cannot be unhappy and I grow my web design experience. It is surely fun to do something!

  • Martin
    September 25th, 2006
    1:34 pm

    Totally agree. I always felt like this when reviewers/critics thake great joy in totally trashing a film/book/song/anything creative. I don’t mind a good funded criticism, but not talking down.

  • David Chapman
    January 9th, 2007
    1:49 am

    You speak the truth. I’m amazed how many people don’t utilize their personal gifts and DO something. If I was half as smart, charasmatic, [insert other qualities here] as many people I meet, only god knows how far I could go. And yet I seem to get a little further in life than those people with greater talents than me because I get off my ass and try.

    The world would be a better place if more people acted.

  • Genghis The Mongol
    January 27th, 2007
    8:27 pm

    As we Mongolians say, a journey of one thousand miles starts with a single step.

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