Having a great idea is a prerequisite before embarking on the startup adventure. (While John Nesheim is correct that the Internet has made unique ideas less likely, I’ll respectfully disagree with Paul Graham’s view that great ideas are overrated). But how can you tell that your idea is the right one?
In my experience, great ideas follow a fairly standard pattern.
1. The Light Bulb Moment
Eureka! You just thought of a great idea. You are super-excited about it. It’s going to revolutionize the world.
2. The Obsession
You can’t sleep at night. This idea generates so many possibilities in your mind, you can’t stop thinking about it. You can talk about it for hours on end.
3. The Crash
Often it comes in the form of a Google search. Or maybe an acquaintance tells you. Company X is already doing it. Except they have money (you don’t), employees with impressive resumes and contacts. They are way ahead of you. It’s depressing. You give up.
If you don’t have a crash moment, watch out: it means that you are working on something that no one cares about. It’s usually a strong sign that you don’t have a great idea.
4. The Refining
Still reading? You can tell you have a great idea when you survive the crash. Slowly, you realize that this competitor doesn’t quite get it like you do. There is an angle that is unique to your idea. Somehow, yours is different, more profound. You figure out a way to make this competitor irrelevant by refining your idea, applying it with laser focus.
5. Go
That’s it. Your idea sustained the challenge of time. Now you can proceed and execute on it. Stop talking. Start doing. Even though your idea made it this far, it’s still a very long road ahead. But it will be exhilarating.
Ignore all the people that tell you that your idea doesn’t make sense. Listen politely, spend five seconds to extract the nugget of wisdom that may be contained in the criticism, and then brush off all the negativity. In the words of Scott Adams, the author of Dilbert: “the only way to tell a great idea from a bad one is if you are the author”.
Share your thoughts. How often do you have “great ideas” and how far do you take them?
