Minimum Viable Readiness

How innovation principles can help us show up more often in life, not just business.

A few months ago, I started Jiu-Jitsu.
Well, more accurately, my daughter started, so I had to get rolling too.
Classes are on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8am.
A solid 25-minute drive away.

To feel “ready” for class, I needed to tick off a checklist that looked something like this:

1. Wake up early enough

2. Drink a litre of water

3. Have a coffee

4. Shower

5. Cut my nails

6. Mentally prepare

7. Leave with time to arrive early

If I missed even one, I wouldn’t go.
It became an all-or-nothing equation.
Somewhere along the way, I had convinced myself I had to earn the right to show up.

Until one morning, I woke up late. Way too late to check all the boxes. I almost bailed.

But I went anyway. I showed up five minutes late.  I was still sweaty. Still rolling. Still learning.
Full value. Nothing lost.

The Aha Moment

That’s when I realized: You don’t need everything. You just need enough. Not maximum readiness. Just minimum viable readiness.

The idea of “minimum viable readiness” mirrors a familiar concept in the innovation world: the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Coined by Eric Ries in The Lean Startup, an MVP is the simplest version of a product that allows you to learn something valuable with minimal effort.

You don’t wait until the product is perfect. You ship when it’s just ready enough to test, learn, and improve.

So why don’t we apply that same thinking to ourselves?

Why We Overprepare (and Overdelay)

Research from behavioral science suggests that perfectionism and cognitive overload are two major reasons people hesitate to start. Psychologist Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice, argues that the more options and requirements we stack up before making a decision, the less likely we are to act at all.

In entrepreneurship, this is known as analysis paralysis.
In life, it looks like:

• Not applying for the job until your CV is perfect

• Not going to the gym until your schedule clears

• Not launching the idea until your brand is polished

• Not showing up until every box is ticked

And just like that, opportunities slip.

Ready ≠ Perfect

When we look at innovation teams, startups, or even elite athletes, the most successful ones aren’t those who wait until the stars align.
They’re the ones who keep showing up, testing, tweaking, shipping, learning.
Momentum beats readiness every time.

That Jiu-Jitsu morning reminded me of that truth.
I didn’t need the whole ritual.
I needed just enough.

A Question Worth Asking

The next time you find yourself hesitating, whether it’s starting a new habit, launching an idea, or simply showing up somewhere, pause and ask:

What’s the minimum viable readiness here?

If you’re launching something: what’s the lightest version that still delivers value?

If you’re working on yourself: what’s the smallest action that still counts?

Then go. Ship it. Show up. Start rolling.

Big thanks to Derek Sivers for this nudge. His book Hell Yeah or No was a quiet whisper in the back of my mind when this moment clicked. Worth the read.

Have you had a similar epiphany? I’d love to hear it.
Let’s normalize showing up without needing everything to be perfect.

Ready to explore your own MVP thinking?

We built Rapid Visual with this exact mindset.
Start with the minimum and evolve fast, whether you’re a workshop facilitator, a strategist, or an innovator on a mission.
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