You & your ideas

You think of yourself as ideas person. You immediately have ideas for improvements or enhancements for all kinds of things and in particular for my products or for running the business. Now please watch this excellent video by Ze Frank:

Funny video huh? Ideas in itself are worthless without execution. Ideas are plenty. Ideas are cheap. Everybody has them. I have been scheming and executing my product and business for over 3 years now, do you really think an idea which pops up within 5 minutes of talking is interesting?

You must be truly unique. Probably I have heard your special snowflake at least 5 times already. After I thought of it myself. I have no lack of ideas, I have lack of time and resources.

As Frank already alludes to, talking about your special idea is a form of mental masturbation: it makes you feel good. It does nothing good for me:

• I probably already know the idea, and even if I want to do it, it is not top priority. If it was already top priority, it would be worthless too.
• Even though it is dismissed immediately, it still makes me feel bad: I must be lacking, not trying hard enough. Thank you!
• In the same vein, apparently my product is not good, or not good enough: yeah, this is really helpful.
• All while continuing the conversation and I need to control myself not to punch or spit you in the face.

Peter Shallard has written an interesting post about why it might be smart to keep good ideas to yourself. That's right. Read the comments too: hold your dreams close to your chest.

I do not mind your occasional mental masturbation while still feeling you are helping. But please do not jerk off in front of me. And can we now talk about something fun you did lately?

And next time you have this great suggestion, ask yourself: who are you helping?