Stop listening to everyone else and just do it

THE WORLD is full of people who can tell you exactly why now is not the time to start. They’ll say the market is saturated, the economy is uncertain, taxes are too high, or the weather is too grey. You’ll hear that you should polish your plan just a bit more, perfect a new skill, or wait for the ”right” moment — which, of course, never comes. ”Small streams make a big river,” they say, when they want to politely hint that your idea doesn’t quite have wings yet. Or the latest one I’ve heard: ”As I always say, you should look at every possibility.” Good grief, not again.

If I had listened to this advice, I certainly wouldn't be here as an entrepreneur writing this essay. My entire career would have stalled at the starting line if I had let others' doubts define my boundaries.

In reality, most of the world’s best things would never get done if everyone listened to the ”wiser” ones. If every inventor, artist, or entrepreneur had believed those who warned about the risks or the small market, we would be living in a very stagnant world. Innovation is often born at the exact point where someone is stubborn enough to try something that others don't find sensible or possible. Excessive caution and mirroring the opinions of others is the surest way to ensure that nothing changes.

My latest ”whim” is a perfect example. I decided to start targeting Japanese tourists here in Finland. My Japanese language skills are, quite frankly, on par with my Swedish. I understand a word here and there, I can introduce myself and ask basic questions, but deep philosophical discussions are still handled by other means.

However, my trips to Japan have taught me something more important than the language: I’ve become familiar with the culture, the aesthetics, and how things work over there. So, I did what many would consider crazy: I set up a sales page entirely in Japanese.

My goal is to find those Japanese travelers who appreciate Nordic visuals and want to capture their moments in settings reminiscent of the film Kamome Shokudo (it’s a great movie, by the way, check out the trailer [here]). Maybe this movie idea won’t bring in a single customer, but maybe it will lead to that one dream project. The point is, I did it myself, on my own terms, and despite the warnings.

Hopefully, this inspires at least one person to ignore the advisors and try their own ”crazy” idea.

Check my Japanese page here.