Judgment Arrives Before the Idea Is Finished
The instinct to evaluate a new idea the moment it appears is almost automatic — and almost always premature. A raw idea hasn't been shaped yet: it hasn't been tested, refined or connected to anything useful. Judging it on arrival is like rejecting a sketch for not looking like a finished painting.
Separate Generating From Judging
- Write down an idea in full before deciding whether it's good.
- Ask 'what would make this work?' before asking 'why won't this work?'
- Save the harshest questions for the editing stage, not the first draft.
Inventors Protect the Rough Draft
The inventor's edge isn't having better first ideas than everyone else — it's refusing to kill them before they've had a chance to develop.