The idea of perfect

If you are thinking, “I am going to find the perfect idea to start my business!”

Stop.

Many people want to start their own business, but they spend so much time thinking of a perfect idea on which to base their business. News flash. The perfect idea does not exist. Sure, once in a while, you come across some company in the news, that sparks this question in your mind.

Why didn’t I think of that?

You may perceive that the person was a genius, thinking up the perfect idea. You look at Spotify, or Netflix, and envy them. Let me tell you this. Their idea was not perfect. They perfected it. Or came close to.

Perfection is idealistic in its very nature. Nothing is perfect, so stop trying to be perfect, or think perfectly Here are some pointers that will really get you going starting your business instead of mopping around looking for that perfect idea.

Don’t think too big

Most people who want to start their business begin with a wrong mindset. They assume that the business that they start need to be revolutionary, or disruptive. They think that it is going to topple the giants of industry and change lives. Well, some businesses do. But for the majority, that will not happen. The reality is that, for entrepreneurs starting for the first time, it is extremely difficult to implement such big ideas. Most disruptive businesses begin with somebody who has an in-depth knowledge of the market he is targeting, and importantly, has access to deep funding and enormous resources.

If you are just somebody who wants to start up for his first time, you don’t need to dream up something like that. In fact, it may even be detrimental to you to put such unrealistic expectations on yourself.

Small improvements

So, if you should not think too big, how should you think? Start small. Instead of dreaming up that disruptive change, focus on incremental improvements on existing products. They will be easier to understand for the consumer, and easier to secure funding for. Just look at the abundance of software companies. Plenty of them are just improving upon a competitor’s product, not world-changing.

Another common pitfall for entrepreneurs is that they fall too much in love with their “perfect” idea. A business has to survive by selling its product. Even if the product is perfectly designed, if there is no market for it, the business will still fail. Instead, focus on the needs of the consumer and work with that in mind instead of dreaming up the perfect product. You just need one that works.

It’s all about you

In the end, you just have to do it. Starting is infinitely more important than looking for that one idea. Execution is way more important than the idea you started with. If your execution of the business is not up to par, no matter how good your idea is, it will not succeed. Adopt the right mindset. Don’t worry if your idea is not perfect. Instead, keep striving to improve. Toughen yourself and overcome the obstacles in your way. Slowly but surely, with good execution, you can build a worthwhile business. Your idea does not need to be perfect and neither do you.