Everyone is looking for a “million dollar idea” or great new business concept. When people hear stories about great products or businesses, a common reaction is “I wish I’d thought of that.”
The search for the million dollar idea, and the feeling that the idea will change everything, is pervasive in our culture. I want to dispel this myth, and to do that, I’ll let you in on a few secrets:
- You’ve already had a million dollar idea.
- You will have many more.
- Nobody cares.
Some people don’t believe that they have million dollar ideas. This generally means that they didn’t recognize the idea when it came or forgot it before they could write it down. To make sure this doesn't happen to you, I've put together the below tips on how to have great ideas and bring them to life.
Write things down
Most great ideas get lost because you forget them. Keep a small notepad on you at all times or get in the habit of writing down (or recording) notes on your phone. Keep a notepad by your bedside. I even have a waterproof notepad I keep in the shower for when inspiration strikes there. Write down even half baked random ideas, as these often spawn better ideas later. Consolidate and review these notes regularly.
Exercise your idea muscle
Start an idea journal. Write down five new ideas everyday. These ideas can be about anything at all. (e.g. a game idea, an alternate route to work, a short story concept, a new sandwich filling, whatever) At first this will feel difficult, but soon you’ll have more ideas than you know what to do with.
Read Core Design Loop Step 1: Inspiration
I include a step by step process for generating ideas there. The article talks about games , but the process works for any ideas you want to generate (just replace the word "games" with the topic you are most interested in).
If you follow the above steps, you will have way more ideas than you know what to do with. Most of these ideas, however, won’t amount to anything. If you want to turn your million dollar idea into an actual million dollars, read on. You’ve got a lot more work to do.
Share your Ideas
In my experience, ideas are only about 10% of the value of any final product. Important, but not as important as everyone thinks. I’ve encountered multiple designers who were terrified that someone would steal their brilliant concept. So terrified, in fact, that they never showed it to anyone. Those ideas may have been brilliant, but no one will ever know because they never saw the light of day. The design process requires constant testing and feedback. If you don’t show your ideas to others and get input, you are unlikely to make it very far. Adopt an abundance mentality when it comes to ideas. You will always have more, so don’t be afraid to share them liberally.
Focus on Execution
A good idea is a critical foundation upon which to build a company, a game or anything else, but the heart of creative work is execution. On the one hand, it is a bummer that you can’t just think of a good idea and make a million dollars. On the other hand, this realization is empowering. There is no magic or genius “out there” that you don’t have. You can make a great game, found a great company, or create a great product. All it takes is the willingness to do the work of execution.
There are always barriers and roadblocks and the path to bringing ideas to life will often cause them to change and shift far beyond what you initially conceived. Having good ideas is about executing well and executing well has two basic steps:
- Work Hard.
- Learn from your Mistakes.
That’s it. Get in the habit of capturing and testing your ideas. Avoid the habit of cherishing them so much they cannot be scrutinized or changed. That is how brilliant ideas turn into brilliant realities.