The Execution Spectrum

Today, I want to discuss an idea that I call the Execution Spectrum. The spectrum spans the difference between the wantrepreneur and the obsessed maker, with the entrepreneur in the middle. It shows the relationships between the extremes and helps us define, not just our present position, but also strategies to move toward entrepreneurship, if that is, indeed, one of our goals.

Definitions

Let’s start with some definitions:

• Wantrepreneur — this is a person who aspires to be an entrepreneur, but gets stuck before reaching the actual goal of starting or running a business — usually they get stuck in the researching ideas, finding the right business model, planning or education phases
• Entrepreneur — the person who starts or runs a business venture of their own, balancing the work of planning versus executing
• Obsessed Maker — the person who passionately creates products, builds things or authors materials, but is so focused on the making or perfection of the widget that they never successfully execute the act of bringing it to market

The Extremes Feel Good

Whether you are an obessive maker or a wantrepreneur, part of the trap of why people get stuck in these areas on their journey to entreprenuership is that it feels good. While, for many, it is a form of procrastination, or a response to a hidden level of fear, it often feels good while you’re doing it. After all, planning, researching, perfecting…