Try to shut up

Tests done since 1933 show that people who talk about their intentions are less likely to make them happen. Announcing your plans to others satisfies your self-identity just enough that you’re less motivated to do the hard work needed.

This discovery, written about by Derek Sivers (who Des and I will have the great pleasure of sharing a stage with at LessConf), fascinates me.

I understand the urge: that new and sexy idea-turning-reality is just too exciting not to share; I frequently blab about our projects with friends. But there’s a far more serious and damaging level to which many take it. I know people that describe in glorious detail their app / site / company, only for it never to see the light of day. They register the domain alright, but beyond that, the rest is but a dream.

To sleep, perchance to dream.

Hamlet worries about what dreams may come after his suicide, but oftentimes shared dreams are suicide themselves. So I suggest you try the opposite: shut up and get busy. There’s nothing sweeter than sharing a secret worth sharing. I’ve experienced this with quite a few of the apps I’ve worked on and it’s a pleasure. But wait until you see the next app!