I’m reading Eric Ries’ Lean Startup, and I began wondering how the concept could be incorporated to improve someone’s personal startup journey, of sorts.

If you’re unfamiliar with Lean Startup, in the book Ries attempts to create a scientific method to allow entrepreneurs to test each element of their vision in a startup and to accelerate the feedback required to build, measure, and learn whether the startup is headed down a sustainable path or whether it needs to pivot (change course). I really enjoy his approach.

What interests me is determining whether that process can be replicated somehow for an individual’s professional journey.

I’ve recognized my journey to find work that’s meaningful has been inefficient in many ways. I wish it were a simpler and more efficient process. Many of the suggestions I get seem to be intangible – ‘follow your gut’ is a mantra I subscribe to, but are there better methods we could create to more efficiently test our personal thesis? I envy those who are crystal clear in understanding what they want to do, but I think many out there are like me, faced with varying levels of uncertainty and fear.

We go to college to get a degree, but it seems like the education system is a failure. Not only do we walk away with a lack of skills suited for a technical job, it seems most have not learned anything about what they might be best suited to do and/or what someone with their personality traits would be best equipped to succeed in/enjoy.

In an attempt to gather more insight into this dilemma and make this blog more interactive, I’ll begin a new undertaking where I speak to peers who are attacking their vulnerabilities and fears head-on, as well as those looking to do so. I think there’s valuable information to be gained from both sides.

Let me know if you or any friends would be interesting in talking with me (you can remain anonymous if you prefer).

This won’t be the only aspect of the blog, just a new one. As always I love hearing your input and feedback

David