Editor's Desk: Just Do It

Fall 2011 issue -- A kick-ass half is better than a half-assed whole, quip the founders of 37Signals in their book Rework. They were referring to the need to avoid undermining oneself by becoming consumed with an overly cautious attitude and unreasonable perfectionism. Lack of progress and lack of success are telltale symptoms of such an attitude. Washington, D.C. web developer Zvi Band echoes this wisdom in this issue’s “Leader of the Geeks.” “Too many people waste time over-thinking their ideas,” he observes. “Just do it!”

When computer programmer Mike Watkins faced apathy at work—senior management wouldn’t allow him to make changes that would significantly improve the business—he chose to end that resource-wasting relationship and launch his own business. Find inspiration in “The Problem Solver.”

TNI writer Kira Newman, author of these two stories, is now on a 6-month tour of Asia, writing weekly reports on tech startups across the region. You can follow her work at TechCocktail.com. We wish her the best and salute her entrepreneurial bent: the Asia tour was her idea.

The passing of Steve Jobs has elicited a huge outpouring of admiration and gratitude from the millions who delighted in Apple products and inventions. Entrepreneur Lynda Weinman’s life and career were transformed by the Apple II computer and her mastery of it. Weinman went on to become a world-renowned web tech guru and a consultant to Apple, before launching a revolution in technology education. She is profiled in this issue’s “Queen of the Triple Win.” In a sidebar to this article, she reflects on Steve Jobs’ life.

Life coach Lauren Zander, owner of The Handel Group, observes that individuals can have their careers in working order, while still being clueless about how to live. She requires that all of her coaches read Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, in order to learn how one’s premises are tied to one’s happiness and success in life. Writer Sarah Perry traveled to New York City to interview Zander and to participate in The Handel Group’s training. You can read Zander’s story in “Living an Extraordinary Life.”

Sarah also profiles restaurant owner Dennis Byrd. This young Texan has always been goal-oriented. His determination and willingness to take risks paid off when he launched a venture that others mocked. Now, he humorously calls himself “The Chief Burger Flipper of Island Famous.”

What is behind a success-oriented mindset? Dive into our theme section, “Winning: Succeeding and Thriving in Life” to learn about the roles of confidence, volition, “flow,” and more. A special thanks to Will Thomas who edits our theme section.

We hope this issue will inspire you to cultivate the mindset and attitude needed for success as well as to proactively act on your business goals. Perhaps you have a business of your own you’ve been thinking of launching. Why not start today? As film director Katie Torpey says, “Your life is always beginning right now

‍