Ask HN: How to deal with being idea rich, but time poor?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2200027

by DamonOehlman • 15 years ago

5 6 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I really struggle with having a lot of ideas, and while I'm very grateful that I have this problem it can be pretty frustrating. They certainly aren't all good ideas, but some probably are (there's a couple that I think are crackers).

The question is, how do you deal with the situation of having many ideas but only so much time (and/or money) to invest in exploring the potential of those ideas?

wallflower• 15 years ago

This article is a bit pithy but true. Ideas aren't worth that much.

http://www.oreillynet.com/onlamp/blog/2005/08/ideas_are_just...

My advice is do something that you would like your mother or father to excitedly tell their friends about (assuming they are still around).

DamonOehlman2• 15 years ago

I think that article does make a nice clear point, and while the ideas aren't worth that much in some regard, being a multiplicative factor is a pretty big deal.

ajaymehta• 15 years ago

Well ask yourself why you have so little time. Are you passionate enough about your ideas that you feel what you're doing instead isn't exciting/worth it?

If you have ideas but you feel your time is better spent doing your work/school/whatever, then get one super-compelling idea and follow through!

DamonOehlman2• 15 years ago

That's a fair point, but the point is I am already executing one of the things that I am passionate about. So following through is happening in that regard.

But in the midst of that execution, there are other ideas that probably have a genuine shot of generating some revenue. So the question is how to either:

A - Prevent yourself getting distracted by that idea. Do you share it or just sit on it?

B - Seriously evaluate whether it is worth either changing direction or finding ways to execute both (or more) ideas in parallel.

Given that we have the phrase "serial entrepreneur" (which I am not a big fan of honestly) rather than "parallel entrepreneur" I'm guessing a one thing at a time approach is the best way to go ;)

mkinnan• 15 years ago

I am in the same boat ... my plan is to work on the idea I am most passionate about. Then when I have a nice revenue generating business, I can hire developers to make my other ideas happen.

coenhyde• 15 years ago

Find people who can execute your ideas (or part there of) for you. Think of your time as a finite resource, which it is.

You have two options:

1. Do less of your ideas by focusing on what is most important.

2. Use someone else time

Not everyone can be a specialist at everything. Know what you are good at then consider outsourcing what you are not so good at to someone who is better than you. They will do a better job and most likely get the job done faster too.

Though this is assuming your ideas are worth pursuing.

EDIT: Remember you don't only have to outsource things such as programming or graphic design. What about things such as book keeping or house keeping.

Ask HN: How to deal with being idea rich, but time poor?

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