A Duck and a Mountain!

A Duck and a Mountain

The other day, I had a conversation with our CEO that left me thinking about ducks, mountains, and the curious ways they relate to building products. It all started when he brought up the analogy of the duck shooting game—the kind you’d find at a carnival.

Picture this: you’re standing there, rifle in hand, as ducks slide across the screen. The key to success? Quick reflexes. You aim, fire, and if you linger too long, the duck’s already out of reach. He explained that running a business feels a lot like this game. Opportunities—new deals, fresh customer pain points, or entirely new markets—are constantly moving targets. If we overthink, overplan, and take too long to act, those ducks (or deals) are gone.

His argument? Build fast, ship quickly, and figure out the rest later. Engage the customer now, even if it means breaking a few things along the way. It’s all about keeping the momentum alive. And to his credit, there’s a certain thrill to that approach. A game-like intensity. A dash of chaos.

But here’s the thing. As I listened, I couldn’t help but picture something else entirely: a mountain.

Now, climbing a mountain is the polar opposite of shooting ducks. There’s no rush to fire and move on. Instead, it’s a slow, deliberate journey. You may not know the exact peak you’re aiming for, or the best path to get there. What you do know is where you started, the progress you’ve made, and the challenges ahead. Each step is a calculated decision, taking into account resources, weather, and the energy needed to tackle the next stretch.

To me, product development has always been like climbing a mountain. With every lost opportunity (or missed duck), you gain a clearer understanding of the terrain. What worked? What didn’t? What could work better next time? It’s about learning and recalibrating your approach. And yes, you might miss a duck or two, but in the grand scheme of things, the mountain climb is about persistence, vision, and a structured approach.

Now, here’s the thing: as a product leader, you can’t be just the duck hunter or just the mountain climber. You have to be both.

If you get too caught up in the duck game, you risk losing sight of the mountain entirely, burning through resources without a clear destination. But if all you do is focus on the climb—thinking, planning, perfecting—you might miss all the ducks that could actually help you reach that peak.

The trick is finding the balance. Some days, you’re laser-focused on the ducks, reacting to opportunities in real-time, keeping the momentum alive. Other days, you step back, think strategically, and ensure every step aligns with the broader vision. It’s a dance between urgency and patience, between the short term and the long term. The trick, perhaps, is knowing when to play which game.

And as much as it feels like a juggling act, it’s also what makes product leadership so rewarding. Shooting ducks keeps the business moving forward. Climbing mountains ensures you’re moving in the right direction.