It takes guts to ask the difficult questions early on.
Most often, it feels easier to tackle the low hanging fruit first. But all this does is create an illusion of progress. It leads to the spending of valuable resources on things that contribute very little to new insights and true momentum. Worst of all, we end up so emotionally, physically, and financially invested on something that gives us little meaning that we find it extremely difficult to leave it behind and move on to something worthwhile.
Before you set out pursue a new endeavor, get to the difficult questions early.
Where is the highest point of friction?
What’s the one thing that if left unsolved or untested would leave every other action you make useless?
How much time, money, and effort are you willing to invest into this project, career change, or idea?
When will you know it’s time to pivot, change your approach, or quit altogether?
Finding the friction and dealing with it early is what gives us the traction to move forward or pivot with speed and focus.