Why does Naval mention "Action over Planning"?

Hey, that's a great question. Naval's insight is really a spot-on wake-up call for anyone wanting to do something but delaying action. Let me explain it in plain terms.

Think of it like learning to cook a new dish.

Planning is the Recipe, Action is the Cooking

Imagine you want to learn to make "Braised Pork Belly" (Hong Shao Rou).

What does pure planning look like? You might spend a whole week researching. You watch dozens of videos, compare countless recipes: some say to blanch the meat first, others say stir-fry it directly; some use rock sugar, others use white sugar; some add dark soy sauce, others don’t... You might even draw a flowchart, timing each step down to the second. In the end, you have a “perfect” compendium of theory.
What is action like? It’s glancing at a simple recipe, buying the meat, rolling up your sleeves, and heading straight into the kitchen to start cooking.

Why does Naval say the latter (action) is more important than the former (planning)?

1. Knowledge Comes from Practice, Feedback is Priceless

Until you execute that “perfect plan,” it’s just theoretical. When you actually start cooking, you’ll encounter all sorts of unforeseeable issues:

“Uh oh, the heat seems too high, the meat is burning a bit.” — You learn: Oh, my stovetop needs a lower setting.
“Taste it… not salty enough yet.” — You learn: Need more salt next time.
“It’s been stewing forever, but the meat’s still tough.” — You learn: This specific cut needs even longer.

These instances of immediate feedback from taking action are more valuable than any recipe. The world is complex. Your career, life, projects are all like that pot of braised pork belly – you can’t foresee all the variables. Only by getting things done does reality give you authentic feedback, showing you what needs adjusting. Overthinking alone won't reveal this.

2. Action Helps You Discover "Who You Are"

Many people get stuck in a trap when planning their lives: "What do I actually like? What am I good at?" They overthink, get paralyzed, and end up doing nothing.

Naval believes you can’t figure out what you’re good at just by “thinking.” You have to try things.

You might plan to become a programmer, but once you start coding, realize staring at screens gives you a headache.
You might never have considered sales, but when helping a friend sell something, you find you love chatting with people and pitching products, and you’re actually good at it.

Action is the best path to self-discovery. You do things to learn if you enjoy them and if you’re capable. Don’t wait to understand "who you are" before acting; that sequence is backwards.

3. Action Creates "Luck"

Planning is closed – it only exists in your head. Action is open; it connects you to the world and brings unexpected opportunities.

Think of it this way: Staying home means you’ll never run into an old friend. You only get pleasant surprises by walking out the door, shopping, or attending events.

When you start doing:

You finish a small project and post it online. A seasoned expert might see it, offer advice, or even give you a job.
Attend an industry conference, and you might meet a future business partner.
Write an article, and you might attract your first followers.

These opportunities are made by doing, not by planning. Action dramatically increases your odds of encountering "luck."

4. Avoiding "Analysis Paralysis"

This is incredibly common. Many delay their first step chasing a "foolproof" plan. They think, "I'm not ready yet," "I need to learn this first," or "When the timing is better."

Result? Time passes, the perfect plan stays in their head, and zero real progress is made.

Naval’s philosophy: Instead of spending 100 hours making a 90% plan, spend 1 hour making a 60% plan, then use the other 99 hours for action, experimentation, and iteration.

Is planning useless then?

Absolutely not. Naval isn’t advocating blindly charging ahead. His point is:

Planning should be a "direction," not a "detailed map."

Treat planning like a compass. It tells you, "Hey, north is roughly that way." Then you head north, building bridges when you hit rivers, detouring around mountains. Don’t draw an ultra-detailed map specifying every footstep – because in reality, rain or landslides might happen, rendering that map useless fast.

Summary:

Naval advocates "Action > Planning" because:

Action yields real feedback, accelerating learning.
Action facilitates self-discovery and identifying true strengths.
Action builds connections, generating unexpected luck.
Action combats procrastination, preventing overthinking stagnation.

So next time you have an idea, don't just ponder endlessly. Set a general direction, then bravely take the first step. Fire first, aim later. Making mid-course corrections is infinitely better than studying the maps forever in the harbor.