Want to get better at knowing which projects to continue and which to quit? Here are Astro Teller’s 4 rules for vetting a project.
Astro Teller, CEO of X Development (fka Google X) has a process for keeping or killing projects. He uses the mental model: “Monkeys and Pedestals”.
What’s so great about this principle is that it gives you clear next actions when evaluating a project. It also gives you a means to judge whether you pursue it further.
It allows you to get really effective at finding the right projects to pursue that will have the greatest impact.
Annie Duke write all about this mental model in her book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away.
Here’s how it works:
Pretend you’re tasked with training monkeys to juggle flaming torches on a pedestal you’ve built.
Rule #1: Building a pedestal is the easy part
It’s not hard to figure out how to build a pedestal. You can look up instructions online. It’s not something that requires a lot of engineering, thought or consideration.
It’s something you can easily do.
Rule #2: Training monkeys to juggle is hard
Training monkeys to juggle flaming torches is much harder. There is no instruction manual for that.
It’s something that will need a lot of consideration, thinking and work.
Crucially, it’s unclear if it’s even possible.
Rule #3: Train the monkeys first
When tackling this task, always focus on training the monkeys first. Don’t get distracted by the easier problem of building the pedestal.
It’s tempting to focus on the easy thing first to show progress. To feel good about moving the project forward.
Resist that temptation. It’s a red herring. Do the hard thing first. Figure out if it’s even solvable.
Rule #4: Quit if the monkeys can’t be trained
The sooner you try to train the monkeys, the sooner you’ll figure out if the monkeys can even be trained.
If they can’t be trained, there is no point in even building the pedestal.
If they can’t be trained, you should quit the project immediately, and find another one.
If the monkeys can be trained, but not feasibly, quit the project.
If the monkeys can be feasibly trained. Continue the project.
With this metaphor, think about a project you are taking on. Are you tackling the hard part or the easy part first?
Have you been sticking to the project too long? Is quitting it overdue?
Or are you focusing on training the monkey first?