The Toxic Mindset of “The Silver Bullet”
There are no miracle cures in our industry
If you haven’t read Soundtracks by Jon Acuff, I highly recommend it.
I read it a couple years ago after hearing about it on a podcast and it really struck me how many of our adult problems are just about narratives from our childhood or younger selves about what we are good at, bad at, stuck on, or whatever. It’s a worthwhile read.
Or, if you’re more into movies (guilty), think of Riley’s mindset in Inside Out 2. This is the core of her brain where she has strings that tell her “I’m a good person” or “I’m a winner.”
The concept is the same – the stories we tell ourselves define us more than we realize.
This post is about one of those stories.
I’ve tried to delay this as long as possible, but I keep seeing evidence of this mindset in our space and I guess I have to address it.
Namely, I’m seeing too many people (in all corners of RE innovation) having a mindset I call “The Silver Bullet” where they assume one solution, one sale, or one hire will fix all their issues.
I once saw a sign on the door of a multifamily executive that said, “I’ve got 99 problems and Yardi is all of them.”
Funny as that was, it offers a glimpse into a dangerous soundtrack that too many of us fall into.
You assume that one new/different piece of technology will solve x% of your problems and you’ll have more room in your day for crafts and activities!
Or, as a startup, you think that one huge sale will blast you into the next stratosphere of ARR. Or a hire will do that.
Or a new product.
Or whatever . . .
Nope.
It doesn’t work that way. Nothing does.
And be honest with yourself – you already know this.
Remember when you thought “If I just ace this test I’ll. . . .”
Or “If it just get into ________ University everything will . . . “
Or, “If I just land this job I’ll . . . “
“If I get a girlfriend . . . get married . . . buy a house . . . have kids . . . invest in crypto . . .make another $50k/year . . .”
How did that work out? Did everything change?
Did your life suddenly become poolside serenity and luxury?
Nope.
It probably got better. But it didn’t change your life all THAT much.
So why do you think it will be different in startup/tech world?
You know better.
To make it practical –
Owners/Managers/Developers/Customers – Lower your expectations of startups.
Sure, we all want glitch-free platforms that solve multiple issues but even Apple products shut down and that’s a $3 TRILLION company!
In what world should a startup be held to the same standard?
They are doing their best with limited time and budget and you need to cut them some slack and let them grow into an indispensable platform.
Startups – That one big sale isn’t as much of a windfall as you think it is. Neither is that funding round/valuation. Or even that acquisition.
There will be positives. And science says you should celebrate those victories.
But, please, avoid the whipsaw between amazing and terrible when you land or lose large customers or employees. Great companies will be great with or without those wins.
So, all of this is basically a plea to be careful of the “silver bullet” mindset that tries to convince you that ONE BIG THING will change everything for the better. It won’t.
You’ll get pretty dejected when you see it and realize that there is still more work to do tomorrow.
The soundtrack I recommend is - “I know it will be hard in unexpected ways but I’m strong enough to handle it.”
(Side note, if you are struggling with a particularly tough beat, please use our FREE and anonymous Mental Health hours at the Foundation. You deserve to be mentally healthy and we have lots of resources to help you!)