Slowing Down = Death

Businesses die when they slow down.

We see this happen in pop culture with the 'one hit wonder' where a musician will release a groundbreaking album or song— and then fade into obscurity.

This happens in business around the initial product launch. Where the team puts a lot of work building up towards the release, but then drop effort as it comes out.

I believe this phenomenon comes from two factors. On the one side, the entrepreneur and their team is managing new fears now that they are an actual company. Then on the other, I think that the audience wakes up from this 'hypnotic rapport' they have with the product and brand. And that their attention drifts elsewhere.

First let's look at the entrepreneur. A young entrepreneur is constantly stretching out their comfort zone. And periodically there are periods of 'snap back' where they want to retreat back into the behavior that's comfortable. This is why as people it's so hard to take on new behaviors. As we engage with something new and exciting, part of us want to hold onto what's familiar. And for many entrepreneurs, what's familiar is the 'pre-product' period when there was less stress.

As a result, the pull back at a critical moment when they should actually be solidify their relationship with the audience.

Now let's look at the audience's side.

As human beings, we're constantly entering these low level states of hypnosis. A good example of this is when we're watching TV or movies. We lose ourselves in the reality of the story. So if a character gets chased, we will feel the same emotional anxiety. This is because we are emotionally identifying with that character's reality.

The problem is that when you abruptly stop the story, it's harder to get back into afterwards.

It's sort of like if you receive a phone call while watching a movie. You can take the call, but then it's harder to get your head back into the story afterwards. And if the story line wasn't that great to begin with, the audience may choose not the finish it.

In the end— you need to recognize that success is an ongoing process.

It's sort of like riding a wave where there's this sweet spot. And if that spot gets too far ahead of your board, the wave just passes underneath you, and you've missed it.

And the sad part is that you rarely get a second change. Just look at any boy band 10 years after their group took a 'hiatus'.

So that's all I have for you today. If you like this video, subscribe below. And as always...

Thank you, and you're welcome.

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Music credit: MF Doom— Dead Bent, © 1999