TLDR Summary:

Keep things simple. Sometimes, to make progress you have to figure out what is important and not sweat the small stuff. A quick and imperfect solution may be better than a solution that is perfect but takes too long to implement.

Prefer to watch? Here's the video version read to you by me.

The Story

The story goes that NASA needed a pen for astronauts to be able to write in space. They had the challenge of not having gravity to ensure that the ink flows down through the pen and onto a page. They invested in a lot of engineering to invent an anti-gravity pen. This took a lot of time and financial resources, especially when considering the context of the space race between the US and other countries looking to make progress in space. The Russians, however, just use a pencil and were able to keep on making progress.

The Lesson

The lesson here is that sometimes we overcomplicate solutions to problems sometimes most elegant solution may not be the right solution. Instead, the solution may be something that allows you to get unstuck and keep making progress. While we often look for the perfect solution, sometimes it’s more important to keep moving forward with a good-enough solution. Perfection can be a hindrance when time is critical. The key is knowing when to focus on progress over perfection.

Have you ever heard the saying, done is better than perfect? This is the sort of thinking. It's not to say that you shouldn't be thorough in your work, it's more about understanding priorities and what is needed in the moment.

The Takeaway

Whenever you encounter road blocks in things you're working on, Whenever you find yourself overthinking or stuck on a problem, remember the phrase 'the Russians used a pencil.’ It’s a reminder to focus on simplicity and take the quickest route to progress. The first solution may not be final, but it will get you moving, which is half the battle.

Storytime 1: Livestreaming a Wedding

Two close friends of mine were getting married, but many of their family members lived far away and couldn’t attend the ceremony in, person. They wanted their loved ones to experience the event in real time and share in the joy of their special day.

The first thought might have been to hire a professional production crew to record the wedding with multiple cameras, edited highlights, and cinematic effects. However, this would have been expensive, and the real-time connection they were looking for wouldn’t have been possible. What mattered most was simplicity and immediacy—enabling their family to feel as though they were present at the ceremony.

In true "Russians used a pencil" fashion, they asked me—a YouTuber friend—to help livestream the wedding. With a limited budget and a focus on the experience, I got creative with the tools we had on hand.

Here’s what we used:

* Camera phone: For capturing clear video of the ceremony.

* Tripod: Borrowed from another friend to keep the phone steady.

* Laptop: Connected to the Google Meet call to manage the livestream and display a pre-ceremony slideshow.

* Wireless microphones: Clipped onto the couple to ensure their vows were clearly audible to online guests.

The setup was simple but effective. I sent out a Google Meet invitation the night before, ensuring family members had easy access to the stream. Before the ceremony began, I used my laptop to display a slideshow of family photos to keep online guests engaged. When it was time for the ceremony, we switched to the camera phone to capture the couple’s vows live.

After the ceremony, the couple came to the camera to interact with their virtual guests, answering questions and sharing heartfelt moments. The entire event was recorded on Google Meet so family members who couldn’t watch live could view it later.

This simple solution allowed us to create a meaningful experience without overcomplicating things. By focusing on what mattered most—bringing people together in real time—we used readily available tools to make the day unforgettable for everyone, near and far.

A Word of Caution - What is good enough?

In taking on this advice, also ask yourself “what is good enough?” This answer will vary for different contexts. When I need to do a rough draft to give an idea of something to a colleague, a rough draft is enough. If it's a pitch presentation to a potential investor, I can't afford to put forward a rough draft. I would need something more polished. Knowing the context can help you prioritize speed over perfection—or vice versa.”

Storytime 2: When this principle/heuristic failed me

I once followed the principle of ‘quick and simple’ in recording a voiceover without checking my equipment. I didn't check the quality of the microphone that I was using and the environment in which I was recording. Although I did end up recording the voiceover and making all the edits, it didn't sound as good as I would have liked. If it was just an audition with people I knew who just wanted to get an idea of the pacing for a video, it may have been good enough, but because I was recording for an article where I wanted to showcase my voice, the standard for good enough was higher.

What I could have done to see if what I had would have worked would have been to do a sample recording before recording the full script to see if it would have been good enough. In doing this I would have noticed problems with the recording early on and I would have been able to then figure out ways to fix it or simply commit to waiting to have a more appropriate setup.

The cost of not doing this was that I ended up having to wait and then record the full script again when I got to a better location. In reality, I could have just waited or improved my recording set up before recording all the way.

In the space race story, using a pencil could actually have failed in the grander scheme of things. According to Scientific American, the flakes and pencil leads that break off and drift in microgravity could actually be harmful to both astronauts and equipment. Pencils are also flammable. They did start off using a pencil but they subsequently had to switch to antigravity pens, which they did not invest the Research and Development budget in but instead bought from what was available on the market. Note that although imperfect, they did start with pencils and soon moved to better solutions.

Now that we've explored the key takeaway, let's look at some practical situations where applying the 'Russians used a pencil' mindset can help you move forward faster and more effectively.

Where can I apply this in my life?

Here are some examples of contexts I can think of where "The Russians Used a Pencil” can be applied:

* Launching an MVP (Minimum Viable Product): When developing a new product, speed matters more than perfection. Instead of waiting for everything to be flawless, release a version that works and iterate based on feedback.

* Starting a new project with limited resources: When time or money is tight, consider using a simpler solution or a temporary fix to keep the project moving forward. You can always improve later when resources allow.

* Quick decision-making in business: In business, quick decisions can be more beneficial than prolonged deliberations. Don’t overthink; go with the option that offers the fastest path to learning and improvement.

* Personal projects and side hustles: When you're working on a passion project or side hustle, don't get caught up in perfectionism. Focus on making progress and refining over time.

Conclusion:

In the end, 'The Russians used a pencil' serves as a powerful reminder: while perfection is often desired, it’s progress that truly counts. By focusing on simple, efficient solutions, you’ll find yourself moving forward faster, making mistakes along the way—but learning and adapting just as quickly. Sometimes, the quickest, imperfect action is the best way to break free from stagnation and keep pushing toward your goals. It's also important to balance this with the standard required for the context you find yourself.

What are some areas where you can apply the principle?

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About the author

Hi 👋, I'm Ore Araba. I am an entrepreneur, voiceover artist and data analyst. I share stories about my experience being an entrepreneur, creator and someone living life on the unbeaten track. I'm hoping sharing the things I learn on my journey will help other people on their journeys. Subscribe to my newsletter - Ore's Gist to be notified when there's new gist to hear about.

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