Taking the “Glow” Off New Ideas
There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you land on that new idea and see it taking shape in your mind. It’s a rush. However, in that rush of new-product enthusiasm, it’s easy to lose focus on one critical thing. Is this a good idea… at all? Pouring all your passion, resources, and energy into a project with unexamined potential is risky and can lead to some pretty bitter disappointment. Staying objective from the start is critical.
Don’t Ask Your Friends
So, how do you stay objective? First up, don’t ask your friends and family. It’s not that your friends and family aren’t valuable resources, they are. It’s just that, odds are, your friends and family aren’t experts. And, your friends and family love you. They will pour on the encouragement and opt for blanket positivity rather than serious examination of the pros and cons of any new venture. That’s great for motivation and self esteem… not so great for objectivity.
Do Ask Yourself
When you consider any new project, start by putting yourself in the mindset of analyzing this thing on its true merits. Be analytical and be brutal. What are the pros? What are the cons? Is there anything like this already on the market? Does this product answer a real need found in the marketplace? What is the opportunity cost of pursuing this product? Do you have the funding and all the other necessaries lined up?
If you move forward, you’re doing so with an even deeper understanding of your product and its potential. If you decide maybe it’s best to shelve this idea, your analytical decision-making process will sharpen your product intuition for the future.
Keep At It
Being objective does not mean abandoning your ideas out of hand. It’s as easy to stop a good project for bad reasons as it is to continue a bad project for bad reasons. Keep at it. Consider your product or project on its real merits. And, should you find it’s not all you thought, don’t give up. There are ideas out there. Go get them.
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