Build Your Own Web Application: Patience

Untitled, Haden Nicholl, 2007

Patience is a funny thing. Preaching about its virtues when it comes to building an application is odd. As the main person behind a product, you have to be constantly moving and pushing things forward, if just a little, everyday. You need that primal drive to get your product to market. Internal maniacal motivation is what your company needs and is a defining characteristic of founders. That is exactly why patience is so important. If you are properly motivated, then patience can be one of the most difficult principle to address. Building a product, and more importantly a company, you can’t always be sprinting. The realities of the world will fight you and beat you down. But the acceptance, the zen understanding that you are pacing for a marathon allows all obstructions to be intelligently addressed.

Just fucking do it (#jfdi) is a mantra moving around startup circles. I couldn’t agree more with this principle. This is a great way to motivate yourself and your team. That said, when it comes time to finding your co-founders or an early hire, a lack of patience can ruin everything. Investors place high importance on founding teams. The core of your company’s future rests on these key factors. It is difficult finding qualified people, getting the right chemistry, and finally convincing them to wholeheartedly believe in your crazy idea. Yet the wrong move can weigh heavily on your ability to make difficult decisions and your resourcefulness.

Patience shouldn’t be a slippery slope. It shouldn’t be confused with laziness either. Think more in terms of an animal on the hunt. If the predator gets impatient, it looses its prey, who easily evades the poorly conceived attack. If the predator waits too long, then it can miss critical opportunities. There really isn’t a middle road either. The best hunters are patient and swift.

Frustrations can run high in startups. You want things done yesterday, but the fact that projects can take longer than expected or even never gain momentum can dampen the most earnest spirit. Over time a constant barrage of disappointments can sometimes lead to failure. Patience will allow perspective. Patience will keep you realistic and optimistic. Patience will prove that you do have what it takes to build a product and run a company. Embrace patience with intelligence and feel good about your future.