Barriers to Entry

Have you ever wanted to start a project but didn't know where to begin? Or you finally get it started but run into a roadblock and give up? I've been there. The other day, I was sitting at my desk wondering what my next side project could be. After some thought, I decided I wanted to improve my PowerPoint skills and make templates I could reuse repeatedly. I opened my computer and searched for a YouTube tutorial on creating seamless transitions.

However, when I couldn't get my design to look similar enough to the video, I gave up. These situations occur all the time. We want to be productive but fall apart once we hit a roadblock.

Overcoming these roadblocks may seem daunting– but we do it constantly; we just don't realize it.

These "roadblocks" are called barriers to entry. They are present in everything we do, and we must overcome them to get the ball rolling. Today, for example, I had to take the bus to university. Before I could get on the bus, I faced multiple barriers to entry. I had to track the bus, walk to the bus stop, scan my ID, and find a seat. It was smooth sailing once I overcame these barriers, and that's how it is in many projects.

The five-minute rule can be utilized when you struggle to start work on something. The rule says to begin the job for five minutes without expecting completion. Once you get through those first five minutes, your brain often transitions to work mode, and suddenly, you're on a tear.

When we consider the timeline of an activity, like my bus ride, barriers to entry are usually most significant at the beginning (hence the name). The rest of the trip was easy once I could get on the bus. All I had to do was sit down and enjoy the ride, hopping off at my stop without hassle. That's the magic of the five-minute rule: when you force yourself to sit down and work for five minutes, chances are, you're crushing those barriers to entry. Once the five minutes are up, you realize the work isn't so bad after all.

Today, I made a mental note every time I faced a barrier to entry. What did I realize? Well, I realized that barriers to entry are present in almost everything I do. For example, going to classes has barriers to entry, like finding a seat, pulling up my notes, and organizing my belongings. Once I got that out of the way, I could sit and relax, taking notes and absorbing the content.

Some of the most brilliant business people realize these entry barriers. And for good reason. What is one way to discourage competition? Raise the barriers to entry.

One industry with high barriers to entry is telecommunications, specifically wireless telecommunications providers or mobile carriers. Well-established competitors have already spent enormous capital on infrastructure, licensing, and regulatory approval. They also retain customers through lock-in contracts, bundle deals, and coverage options.

Overall, the barriers are so high that most companies don't attempt to penetrate this market and the ones who do have a high chance of failure.

In the modern world, productivity is highly valued. We are expected to be productive in many aspects of our lives, and failing to meet those expectations can discourage us.

I like to think about productivity as a ratio between inputs and outputs. We are productive when we can do work (outputs) using the least time and effort (inputs). A key to productivity is momentum. We feel momentum once we overcome the barriers to entry and the rest of the task flows.

This idea of momentum exists in our physiology, specifically our reward system. Reward chemicals are released when we begin a task and complete even a small part, reinforcing the behavior. When we chain these minor hits of rewards, the momentum builds.

So, how can all this information be leveraged to help us be more productive? The first step is realizing that these barriers to entry exist everywhere. As mentioned, a good exercise is to spend a day noticing all the times you encounter them. You'll realize that you've overcome dozens of them all day long. The next time you feel stuck, remember that you always overcome barriers. The difference is that some are higher than others.

The second step is to give it five minutes. If you still can't muster the gusto, you may be tapped out for the day, and that's a sign to try it tomorrow.

Thirdly, ride the motivation. Avoid leaving that space as much as possible when you're in the zone. Disrupting the reward chain can make it challenging to reach that level again.

When I shifted my mindset to observe these barriers to entry, I overcame all of the frustrating roadblocks associated with learning foreign software. Within a couple of days, I've created a breathtaking template that I cannot wait to use.

But how do we get ourselves to these barriers in the first place?

In my management class, we have extensively discussed motivation, specifically the differences between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Here are the definitions

Motivation is a catalyst for action. If we are feeling unmotivated, work can be drudgerous. The tricky part is that we never know when motivation will strike. We can try to force ourselves, which often leads to more frustration. How can we scale our barriers without the motivation to do so?

The good news is that motivation is not as ephemeral as we may believe. Motivational factors are tangible and can be utilized to increase our motivation. These factors can address either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. Even better news is that many creative motivation factors can be implemented within minutes.

This sounds fantastic, right? It is, but there is a caveat.

While combining intrinsic and extrinsic factors may seem to create the most potent motivational cocktail, the reality is quite different. When these two motivators are mixed, they can pull the mind in conflicting directions. Rather than enhancing motivation, they can negate each other. A more effective approach is to identify the predominant form of motivation and focus on that.

For example, if you find no pleasure or interest in an activity, focus on extrinsic motivational factors. If you find the activity interesting but do not feel up to the work, invent some intrinsic factors.

Let me present a few examples of motivational factors to get started with implementation.

Intrinsic motivators

• Play some of your favorite music while you work on the task.
• Relate the work to something you are interested in.
• Create a fun scenario. For example, you are the only one who can read this 50-page document, and you are the last hope of translating it for the rest of humanity.

Extrinsic motivators

• Tell yourself you can watch your favorite show once you finish.
• Leave out a tasty treat you can eat once you get some work done.
• Running a hot bath and working while it fills.

Using these tools regularly builds confidence. It can be challenging to pinpoint factors that work well, so it pays to be creative.

When you use these strategies repeatedly, you are conditioning yourself to do complex tasks and making them more effortless. Over time, the work on productivity will compound and yield a more resilient and efficient work ethic. Tasks that seemed tricky will become trivial.

Using these strategies presents an opportunity to try new things. Searching for practice leads to trying new projects and shooting for more difficult tasks; both will reward you.

The knowledge you gain from completing rigorous tasks will also compound. The more experiences you earn, the more arrows you add to your quiver.

Productive work is easier to achieve when we adjust our mindset and embrace these principles. Rather than relying on chance for motivation and achievement, we can regain control of our productivity and self-assurance. Understanding the mind and providing what it requires makes the difference.