I had first read this in a book by Warren Bennis – “Geeks and Geezers”. Bennis makes a point that many times, one does not have a map to move ahead. One needs to use a “compass” since one is travelling in unchartered territory. Of late, I have getting this feeling more and more.
Many of the things that we are doing have little precedent – trying to create low-cost computing solutions, protoyping a model to transform model, creating solutions around RSS for the Publish-Subscribe Web. I don’t really have an operational plan in any of these areas – decisions are made rapidly as long as they are consistent in the general direction that we are moving. It is something I have done for most of my entrepreneurial life. Of course, it cannot always be like this – one will have to have a specific plan soon. But that can only come once we have charted out a territory well enough.
This is perhaps what I like most. There are days when one feels good because there is that inner feeling that we have advanced closer to our destination. There are other days when one feels disappointed – that “I am lost” type of feeling. As long as there are more of the first type of days, I think we are doing fine!
I believe in one thing: that as long as we are determined, we will reach our destination. Patience and experimentation are both important attributes in this journey. We also have to have the faith in the vision – course-correct if necessary, but keep the overall goals in mind all the time.
It is an exciting journey, not necessarily fun all the way. And, for me, it has been the only way I can imagine living and working!
