Ideas Are Cheap
The notion that ideas themselves have little value; execution is what creates real value.
Also known as: Ideas are worthless, Execution over ideas, Ideas don't matter
Category: Principles
Tags: entrepreneurship, productivity, execution, principles, startups
Explanation
Ideas Are Cheap is a principle emphasizing that ideas alone are nearly worthless - it's the execution that creates value. As Casey Neistat put it: 'Ideas are cheap. Ideas are easy. Ideas are common. Everybody has ideas. Ideas are highly, highly overvalued. Execution is all that matters.'
This concept challenges the common tendency to overvalue ideation while undervaluing the hard work of implementation. Many people guard their ideas jealously, fearing others will steal them. In reality, the same idea given to two different people will produce vastly different outcomes based on their execution capabilities.
The principle has several implications: First, don't waste time perfecting ideas before testing them - start executing and iterate. Second, don't be afraid to share ideas freely; the value lies in your unique ability to execute. Third, when evaluating opportunities, focus more on execution capability than idea novelty. Fourth, recognize that 'idea people' without execution skills add limited value.
This doesn't mean ideas don't matter at all - a great idea with great execution beats a mediocre idea with great execution. But between a great idea with poor execution and a mediocre idea with excellent execution, the latter wins almost every time. The marketplace rewards those who ship, not those who dream.
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