How to Recognize Good Ideas

QUESTION

Joey, I'm a serial tech entrepreneur. It’s my job to turn great ideas into meaningful impact. I've come to realize that the ability to test whether an idea is good or bad determines the success of a venture before it even starts.

I'm testing ideas as we speak. In my process, I talk to at least five ideal customers to understand their motivations, ambitions, and convert that into high-value features.

My general question is: How do you, Joey Cofone, know an idea is good? And further: How do you convert that idea into the correct solution?

—Marcus E.

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ANSWER

Marcus, I love the way you put it: ”turn great ideas into meaningful impact.” For most, that’s the heart of why we create. Whether in a professional capacity with impact on others, or in a personal capacity with meaningful impact on oneself.

Good on you for wanting to ensure you’re heading in the right direction as early as possible. It’s easy (and common) to get caught up in an idea and spend a lot of time on it only to realize, way down the line, that it isn’t going anywhere.

In terms of validating ideas, you’re on the right track by speaking with your customers. If they like your product, the chance of success increases. When the intended users or audience respond positively—the moment their eyes light up—you know you’ve struck a chord.

I call this the Grok Threshold.

To “grok” something is to understand it “profoundly and intuitively.” Why does it matter if your idea is grokkable? For two reasons:

1. Your audience understands better and is more capable of doing whatever it is you’re looking for. They can envision how your creation will fit in with their lives.

2. Arguably even more important, if they can understand it, they can share it. That’s how ideas spread—when they’re so simple that your audience can explain them to others.

Converting an idea into the correct solution is a matter of maintaining the Grok Threshold as you develop your creation. You can do this by continuously sharing your progress with customers. This helps you avoid creating in a vacuum, and instead keeps you focused on what matters.

—Joey

Creator of Baronfig
Author of The Laws of Creativity

You know it's cold and barren in Antarctica, but unless you've been there you can't truly grok it.