The Beatles changed music. Starbucks changed coffee. Perhaps your project is aiming to reach a large audience.

Consultants call it market share. What percentage of the available market have you reached with your idea? No one hits everyone, but many organizations seek to be a monopoly, or perhaps noticeable in scale.

This flies in the face of embracing the smallest viable market. When we’re seeking scale and market share, we need to think about everyone. We need to aim for the middle, sand off the edges, and become the normal, practical, popular choice.

Along the way, hard-working leaders think, “Hey, if we shoot for 40% market share and end up with just 3%, we’ll still be fine.”

The thing is, you don’t get to 3% of the market by trying for 40% and failing.

You get there by embracing the 1% and doing such a good job that the word spreads.

The smallest viable audience gives you focus, traction and positive direction. The smallest viable audience takes humility, guts and responsibility.

Instead of seeking to fail your way to enough, it makes more sense to commit your way to better.