Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

If I cannot think of three things wrong with my latest great idea, I am not thinking enough.

Great ideas. I get lots of ’em. Great successes? Not so many.

And why not? Because most of my “great ideas” have problems, many problems. If I spent a little time trying to find those problems, well, life would be easier.

Patience. Sit and consider the great idea. What are at least three things wrong with this? Nothing? Really? Consider:

1 People: Who are the people involved in this great idea? The producers? The consumers? The investors? Why would any of these people not like this great idea? How might it hurt them? How might it reduce their standing in the community? Enough questions. Surely I can find a problem or three in here.

2 Process: How are we going to make this idea into reality? Do I need to invent a method? Why doesn’t a method already exist?

3 Product: What is the final product of this great idea? Can it exist? Do we need to invent several technologies to make it?

Well, enough questions about the abstract. Apply some of them to my latest greatest idea. Take at least five minutes or five days to think. Sometimes the thinking reveals a few more latest great ideas. Sometimes it shows that, well, it wasn’t such a great idea after all.