The Blessing Of Not Knowing
3 MIN READ
2 NOV 2023
by Vishal Pullikottil
by Vishal Pullikottil
A huge chunk of what it takes to run a business is, honestly, often mundane. My typical work week involves many hours of business development, meetings with accountants, strategic planning, and project debriefs, all before any client servicing. In my first month of full-time entrepreneurship, I seriously wondered whether I had made a mistake by stepping into business. I thought I’d have more time for the things I was passionate about!
You don’t give yourself the time to work on the ideas that have the potential to elevate your business to a new level.
Beyond just being mundane, not having time to invest in passion projects (i.e. projects outside your core compentencies) is dangerous. It limits your ability to disrupt and innovate. You don’t give yourself the time to work on the ideas that have the potential to elevate your business to a new level.
Recognizing this, I started a new practice last month: Passion Pomodoros, inspired by Google’s now-defunct 20% rule.
I’m a heavy user of the Pomodoro Technique (it keeps my ADD-affected brain focused). Along with my long list of to-do items, I now complete six Passion Pomodoros each week. This translates into 3-4 hours where I’m fully focused on working on a product idea, dreaming up a new business plan, researching new technology, and more.
No matter what I achieve during the week, it’s only complete and I’m only satisfied after I’ve done my Passion Pomodoros.
The results? I’ve been doing this for about a month now and have already resurrected several ideas from my things-I-want-to-try graveyard! Not only that, but I’m also experiencing several collateral benefits:
- I’m generally more excited, even about the routine tasks. Giving myself this creative release injects life and excitement into my overall week.
- I’m a more creative problem-solver. Stepping out of the familiar and working on diverse projects provides fresh perspectives, that I (intentionally or unintentionally) apply to my regular business tasks.
- I find myself more willing to take risks with new ideas, like deploying capital or making bold requests. This ensures that I’m constantly investing time and resources into the future.
Next year, as we welcome new employees, I’m eager to turn this personal habit into a company practice. I want Instinctive Studio to be a company that constantly disrupts and reinvents itself as we grow, and I believe initiatives like Passion Pomodoros will play a significant part in achieving that goal.
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