If it’s not a hit, switch

If it’s not a hit, switch

By Derek Sivers

For the first time in my life, I had made something that people really wanted.

Before that, I had spent twelve(twelv) years trying to promote(prəˈmōt) my various(ˈve(ə)rēəs) projects. Trying every marketing approach(əˈprōCH). Networking, pitching(piCH), pushing. It always felt like an uphill battle(ˈbatl), trying to open locked or slamming(slam) doors. I made progress, but only with massive(ˈmasiv) effort(ˈefərt).

But now… Wow! It was like I had written a hit song. A songwriter can write a hundred songs; then suddenly one of them really resonates(ˈreznˌāt) with people and becomes a hit. Who knows why? It’s not that it’s necessarily(ˌnesəˈse(ə)rəlē) better. But through(THro͞o) some random(ˈrandəm) circumstance(-stəns,ˈsərkəmˌstans) or magic(ˈmajik) combination(ˌkämbəˈnāSHən) of ingredients(iNG-,inˈgrēdēənt), people love it.

Once you’ve got a hit, suddenly all the locked doors open wide(wīd). People love the hit so much that it seems to promote itself. Instead(inˈsted) of trying to create demand(diˈmand), you’re managing(ˈmanijiNG) the huge((h)yo͞oj) demand.

So what’s the lesson learned here?

We’ve all heard about the importance of persistence(pərˈsistəns). But I had misunderstood.

Success comes from persistently improving and inventing(inˈvent), not from persistently doing what’s not working.

We all have lots of ideas(īˈdēə), creations, and projects. When you present(priˈzent,ˈprezənt) one to the world, and it’s not a hit, don’t keep pushing it as-is. Instead, get back to improving and inventing.

Present each new idea or improvement to the world. If multiple(ˈməltəpəl) people are saying, “Wow! Yes! I need this! I’d be happy(ˈhapē) to pay you to do this!” then you should probably do it. But if the response is anything less, don’t pursue(pərˈso͞o) it.

Don’t waste(wāst) years fighting(ˈfītiNG) uphill battles against locked doors. Improve or invent until you get that huge response.

https://sivers.org/hitswitch