Give Your Ideas a Chance

We haven’t met yet, but I know the first person who rejects your ideas.

It’s you.

My father used to be a quality control inspector at a production facility for electronic products. He made sure each unit that leaves the factory meets the expectations of their clients.

Somehow, we’re a lot like him. We’re the quality control inspector of our ideas.

Whether it’s a childhood dream or a concept for a large-scale project, we filter what stays in our heads and what sets sail into the real world. More often than not, we hold back 80% of our ideas because of the best excuse ever: I’m not ready.

While replaying Ship 30 for 30’s Meet & Greet Call for the June cohort, Nicolas Cole shared a quote that inspired this atomic essay: “You can’t steer a stationary ship.”

Sometimes, we focus on “perfecting” not because the idea isn’t ready to be shipped, but because we’re not ready to face the waves that it might encounter. We worry others might not care or like it. And we’re not sure we want to hear that.

But feedback is a game-changer.

It can help us develop seeds of ideas into full-blown successes. Or ditch barren pursuits and explore new gardens. If we know how to listen, we can test more ideas. We can improve them as we go and learn from each experience.

So what if, instead of approaching our ideas as quality control inspectors, we borrow the mindset of innovators?

Your ideas will never be 100% perfect and right the first time.

Still, will you give them a chance?