The art of trying

[marksmeets302]

My days are spent writing down ideas and trying them. Trouble is, most ideas fail. I don't have any numbers but it could very well be that 1 in 20 is slightly okay, and only 1 in 100 is very good. I'm sure for many of you this is the same. Over the years I've toughened up and don't let the failures get to me all that much anymore, but still. Working out a single idea can take anywhere from an hour to several weeks. Too many of the latter and it's a long time between victory dances to the theme from love boat. The champagne is getting stale in the fridge.

Not really a question because I know how to deal with these frustrating periods: regroup and try the next idea. For sure that will get me fired up again. Too bad it's a lonely profession; no colleagues to turn to (although, thank god )

Alright, heading for the gym and after that I'll be back with a vengeance.

[Dallas]

Apart from the isolation part the rest I often compare to a VC who will invest in dozens of companies/start ups with the expectation that from every 10 investments made they will have 6 that will fail and show a loss, 3 will break even or there abouts but that one success or in our case idea that works will eradicate all the other 9 as well as make a healthy profit.

[xitian]

I'm right there with you, Mark. I think of my myself as a prospector. I can spend a year "prospecting" and not find anything of immediate use (but if I do, then it can be big). At times it can be very disheartening if a long period goes without finding anything of value, especially if initial signs were good. I often find, however, when I shelf something that I'll coincidentally come back to re-use some of the knowledge or work perhaps years down the line. So nowadays if something doesn't work out, I try to tell myself that "who knows, this might come in useful somewhere down the line, I just don't know it yet", and that helps a bit.

I'm with you on the colleague thing too though. I like the fact that I have no one else to rely on but me. Whatever I make is mine, and any mistakes I only have myself to blame. I fortunately have a supportive wife who helps to keep me sane.

[Rinoa]

James Dyson made 5127 prototypes before he made one that worked properly.

You just have to keep plugging away.

[Wainwright]

Yes those first 5127 Dysons sucked, but that 5128th - well, as history shows - he cleaned up.

Completely agree - it'd be no fun if it was easy anyway.