128 Years

The story for this post was basically handed to me on a silver platter. On Wednesday I went to the SF Giants game against the Houston Astros, where Matt Cain threw the first perfect game in the Giants’ 128 year history. [Insert obligatory “first time for everything” here]. The stadium was electric, an absolutely incredible experience. 

But it doesn’t end there. Bill Schlough, the CIO of the Giants and a Duke alum, met our group after the game to discuss the technology in AT&T Park. Although there were some interesting tech questions, my focus was on somehow getting on the field.

Watching a perfect game – awesome. Walking on the field after a perfect game – unforgettable memory. I watched a journalist put dirt from the mound into a cup, and I considered putting some in my pocket. (I may or may not have)

So how does this amazing experience fit into the greater context of my technology excursion? That the stars have aligned in my favor in Silicon Valley and everything I touch will be perfect – 27 up, 27 down perfect? Quite the opposite.

Success is about execution. I’m sure Matt Cain had the idea of pitching a perfect game, but clearly that idea is worthless without execution. This was difficult for me to understand at first; if I have a good idea I should be rewarded. But the greatest businessmen, technologists, and visionaries express their ideas in simple, elegant ways to be consumed by the masses. If Rudolf Diesel explained how small explosions in an engine would one day transport the masses, you would struggle to believe. But when he shows you, it’s revolutionary. Execution is revolutionary, ideas are seeds.

So far this summer, my execution has been awful, nonexistent really. To fix this, here before my thousands of daily readers, I promise that by the end of this week I will launch a product. Friday, 5:00PM come back here and test it. I have no clue what it will be, but it will be something. 

————–

Don’t forget to follow me directly at firstimeforeverything.wordpress.com or on Twitter @KFishner