"البقاء في اليوم الأول يتطلب منك التجربة بصبر، قبول الفشل، زرع البذور، حماية الشتلات، ومضاعفة الجهد عندما ترى بهجة العملاء."

Staying in Day 1 is all about maintaining a mindset that embraces the freshness, enthusiasm, and relentless innovation of a startup. It’s about never getting complacent, always being ready to try new things, and understanding that growth and success come from constant learning and adaptation.

This idea comes from Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, who has often talked about Day 1 and Day 2. In his view, Day 1 represents a culture of bringing that same energy and focus to your work every single day, as if it were the first day of your company’s existence. Day 2, in contrast, is stagnation, followed by irrelevance, decline, and ultimately, death. Bezos believes that staying in Day 1 requires a commitment to experimentation, an acceptance of failure as part of the process, and a focus on what delights customers.

Imagine you’re a gardener. You don’t just plant a seed and expect a tree to spring up overnight. You experiment with different soils and watering schedules. You accept that some seeds won’t sprout. You protect the small plants from pests and harsh weather. When one of those plants starts to thrive, you give it extra care and attention. This is what staying in Day 1 is all about.

Take the example of Airbnb. When they first started, they were just three guys renting out air mattresses in their apartment. They had to experiment a lot. They tried different markets, faced numerous rejections, and had to tweak their idea repeatedly. They didn’t hit it big overnight. Instead, they planted seeds by reaching out to their initial users, protected their saplings by providing excellent customer service, and doubled down on what worked. Over time, their persistence and customer focus paid off, and they became a global phenomenon.

So, how can you apply this wisdom in your own life or business? Start by being willing to try new things, even if they seem risky or uncertain. Don’t be afraid of failure. Think of it as part of the learning process. When something doesn’t work out, analyze why and use that information to make better decisions in the future. Keep an eye on what your customers or clients love and find ways to give them more of that. And most importantly, never lose that Day 1 excitement and passion.

Imagine you’re launching your own online store. At the beginning, you’re full of ideas and energy. You try different marketing strategies, test various products, and eagerly await feedback from your first customers. Not everything goes smoothly. Maybe your first batch of products gets lost in shipping, or your website crashes on launch day. But you don’t let these setbacks discourage you. Instead, you learn from them, improve your processes, and slowly but surely build a loyal customer base. You’re constantly thinking about what will make your customers happy and finding ways to surprise and delight them.

By thinking of every day as Day 1, you keep the momentum going. You don’t settle for what worked yesterday. You’re always looking ahead, ready to adapt and grow. It’s about having that startup mentality, no matter how big or successful you become. It’s about nurturing your ideas and being ready to pivot when necessary, always with an eye on what will make the biggest positive impact.

So, stay curious. Stay hungry. Keep planting those seeds and nurturing your saplings. And when you find something that truly delights your customers, don’t hesitate to go all in. That’s the Day 1 mindset, and it’s the key to lasting success.