Year zero.

Here are just a few things that people regularly start and never finish:

• Workout Program Diet

• Starting a new business

• Writing A Book

• Planting food in their garden

• Posting content online

• Etc

One reason we abandon all these cool ideas and worthy pursuits is that we are a shortcut society. If we don’t see results within one week of starting something, we’re ready to abandon ship!

Culturally, it seems like we’re always looking for the cliff notes version of books, the life hack to make something easier, and the shortest way to get to the finish line.

But if we started something just to hurry up and finish, I’m curious what it was we set out to do in the first place.

Ali Abdal talked about an interesting concept in his last newsletter. He calls it calls it Year Zero. It’s essentially saying that when we start something new like a business, launching a product in an existing business, or a new creative endeavor we shouldn’t expect any significant progress for the first year. We shouldn’t be looking for improved metrics.

Year Zero is the period when most people assume their idea/habit/practice isn’t working and give up.

So it’s really a matter of shifting our expectations. Year Zero is just the year when we get started and stay consistent.

To do anything meaningful, we have to put in a lot of work and time before we see results.

Hopefully, we’ve chosen to do something we enjoy, and we can relax into the work itself. Ease into learning and getting better. If we can do that, the results will come. The metrics will improve, and we’ll start to realize our little dream coming true!