Set a goal. Follow the plan. Meet your objectives. 

Sounds like good advice, maybe even inspirational. Statements like these represent a tried and true approach to solving problems and accomplishing things. But, it doesn’t mean we can’t come up with other ways of approaching problems and situations. In order to do that, you’ll need to put your creative cap on and find some different ways to think about life. For me, I am going to borrow concepts and ideas from the software and tech industry.

Go Extreme and Think Differently
Around 2001, while working in Silicon Valley, I was introduced to Extreme Programming (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_programming). The general concept is that anything good in software development could be better if done to the extreme. If delivering working software is good, then require the software to work throughout the development process. If code reviews are good, do all programming in pairs. If refactoring code is good, refactor it every time you touch it. Take everything to the extreme. 

This concept produced some great practices in our team and even though we didn’t accept them all, everyone that used it acknowledged it shifted their thinking on software development for the better. You’re seeing a little bit of this in financial planning, too, with the FIRE movement (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/financial-independence-retire-early-fire.asp). 

What are some of the good things you do in life that you might explore taking to the extreme? It doesn’t mean you do them, but the thought exercise will help you get creative and open yourself up to new ways of thinking about how to accomplish things in your life. 

Try, Review, Repeat
For eons, engineers have been building bridges and buildings and roads and infrastructure. They have a defined process and methods to ensure that quality standards are met because if something isn’t right, they can’t just tear it down and start over.  

Software developers are different, though. They are used to being able to build something, decide there is a better way, and tear it apart and start over. They are very adept at just diving in and trying something out, comfortable with the fact that it may not be right and may not be used.
In life, do you think more like the engineer or the developer? Do you gravitate toward wanting a clear objective and plan to get there? Or, are you comfortable diving in and starting something, adjusting if it isn’t quite right, or even scrapping the idea altogether? 

Depending on your personality and your biases, you may have a reaction to one approach over the other. Clearly, there are scenarios where one approach is better than the other, so don’t too get caught up in some of the generalizations I’m making. Keep an open mind and explore thinking differently. 
I do realize that your particular tendency may be situational, but I think most people tend to be more like an engineer in life. By nature, we don’t like to make mistakes, we don’t want to look foolish, we don’t want regrets, and we don’t want to be wasteful. Imagine, though, if you had a magic undo button for your life and at any point you could hit Ctrl-Z, undo a part of life, and then redo it based on what you learned. Would you take more chances? Would you dive in to things more quickly? Would you worry less about external factors? 

Although we don’t have that magic button, we can still harness the power of a redo. To do this, identify something you desire… a new skill, a different job, better relationships, whatever. Now, determine a step you can take toward that desire. If that step makes you uneasy, break it down into smaller steps and a shorter time duration, until it is at a level you’re comfortable taking some risk. Then, do it. See how it goes, catalog any lessons learned, and repeat. 

The Value of an Iterative Approach
I understand using an iterative approach isn’t truly a redo; but, this type of approach has value.  

It promotes taking action. 
When we face big problems we can get stuck in analysis paralysis, trying to figure out the best course of action. Using an iterative approach, you take a small step and move to a new place. Once you’ve taken a few steps, the view changes, you see new things, and have new information. Forward movement will trump sitting and waiting every time… as long as you’re learning something.

You are more resilient and adaptable.
Imagine your life being represented by a disconnected bicycle chain. One long chain with each link representing one of your iterations. Compare that to a life represented by a stiff, straight edge pointing at the direction you want to go. Then, imagine life circumstances impacting the chain and the straight edge, pushing each in positive and negative directions. The bicycle chain is able to adjust and adapt when something knocks it off course, while the ruler either breaks, or has to recalculate everything based on the new direction it is pointing.

Others can more easily join your efforts.
When you accept that there are variables outside of your control and that the future is unknown, it will come through in your approach and how you communicate your intentions. You will come across more open, which will allow others to participate. They will be more willing to share their ideas on what the future might look like because they can see themselves in it. If you’re a leader in any form, you know a shared vision is powerful. When you are open to change, the vision of where you are going can be a shared vision because the process is shared and adjustable.

Simple Sundays mean getting a fresh perspective for Monday. Even if it isn’t an iterative approach, I encourage you to open your mind and heart to new ways of doing things. Life is flexible, so use that to make Monday awesome!

Thank you for reading!

Brian