One way to absolutely GUARANTEE your idea FAILS is to… Never build it.

Story Time!

I started working on an application idea a couple of weeks ago.

I’m exploring various methods for MVP development, including the traditional web application route and a couple of Low Code/No Code platforms.

The funny thing is, even though I’ve just started coding it, I’ve been failing with this idea for around 20 years.

Not failing because it is a bad idea or that I don’t have a solid feature set. On the contrary, I think it possesses a novel angle that could build a user base big enough to make building it worthwhile.

No, I’ve been failing with my idea because I never actually BUILT it!

Unearthed Arcana

Last weekend, during an end-of-summer clean-out in my office, I stumbled upon some old my idea notebooks. In one, I found some designs and notes about a variation of this product from around 20 years ago!

Sure, the focus was different, as was the platform, but the core idea (simplified goal tracking) was right there. Some designs were even strikingly similar to my current feature list!

For two decades, this idea has lingered in my mind, sporadically escaping onto design journals and notebooks, only to get shelved when I got a little busy or thought of a potential roadblock.

What… If?!?

What would have happened, if I had just pushed through, persevered, and built a version two decades ago? What different trajectory might my life have taken?

There are numerous possibilities, but I’ll only know about the one in which I didn’t build it twenty years ago. Or ten years ago. Or even five years ago.

Do I spend another 20 years wondering, “What would have happened, if I had gotten that one idea built?”

All Together Now… Build!

Based on over 25 years of software development experience, I’ve compiled a rough guidebook for mvp planning and development. I’m using this roadmap to plan, build, and launch my idea.

Once I’ve launched this first app, I’ll revise the guidebook, launching it as a product to assist others in avoiding my ‘own goals’ that have derailed this app for the last two decades.

Then? On to other ideas I’ve been postponing while helping others turn their ideas into great products!