How I think about ideas

Ideas are cheap. Good ideas are rare. The skill worth building is telling the two apart before you invest a month in the wrong one.

First, write it down

An idea that stays in your head is just a feeling. Write it in one sentence. If you can’t, you don’t have an idea yet.

Second, attack it

Assume it’s wrong and try to kill it. If it survives a few rounds, it might be worth keeping.

Third, let it sleep

Sleep on it. Most ideas look brilliant at 11pm and absurd at 9am.

Finally, share it

Explaining an idea to another person is the fastest test of whether you understand it yourself.