POSTED BY Micah-Shalom Kesselman

Early September saw the announcement of Microsoft’s buyout of Mojang, developers of the phenomenally popular Minecraft, for $2.5 billion.  Some have been discussing the favorable tax implications its impact for Microsoft.  Others have pointed out the long-term branding strategy underlying the acquisition.

In the wake of the buyout, news broke that founder and internet celebrity Markus “Notch” Persson is leaving Mojang.  Notch posted on his blog, offering readers his reasons for leaving the studio he founded and that has launched him into celebrity status.  His post brings up an important, albeit overlooked issue that many aspiring entrepreneurs would be well advised to take to heart.  Never forgot your project scope—both in terms of feasibility and in terms of what you, the project lead, want.

Notch’s project was mind-blowingly successful and it has, without a doubt, made him wealthier than he ever imagined when he first began development.  His departure is not entirely unexpected.  In 2011, as Minecraft’s popularity was surging, he stepped down as development lead.  Though it seems that fame was never a priority for Notch, as the game’s prevalence grew, Notch’s fame inevitably kept stride along with it.

If any lesson is to be taken from Notch’s departure and his stated reason, it is that those engaging in a new enterprise should be keenly aware of what their goals are and plan for them.  This means more than simply an exit strategy but a general idea of what direction a business owner wants to head in.  Obviously, every potential scenario cannot be planned for, but having a plan for total failure is generally considered good practice.  Perhaps, equally so, a plan for extreme success should have similar priority—if not for business reasons then for psychological and emotional reasons.  After all, a sound business demands a sound mind.