On the fickle hand of the Great Idea

In my business, you should never trust an idea.

Ideas are cruel. Ideas are fickle. And, if you wait long enough, an idea will break your heart.

If you fall in love with an idea – especially in the early stages of creative discourse – you are guaranteed to see it fall apart. You will discover flaws in recesses you never knew existed. Your idea, despite your fawning defense of it, will crumble beneath the critical eye of the Masses.

Great ideas are rare. Priceless ones are impossible. They depend not only on the enthusiasm of the creator, but also an infectious ability to wow everyone on the way up the ladder.

Sometimes that idea – the one you’ve mistakenly fallen for – will nearly make it to print. Sometimes, that idea will die once it’s reached the top of the heap, like a weakened crusader forced to battle one last monster of an enemy.

If you think you’ve come up with a perfect idea, keep trying. There’s no such thing.

This is why, when it comes to ideas, a thick skin is required.

Now, all I need to do is develop a thicker one.