Note: I cannot edit, so see my comments below.
Looking for people who have experienced similar self-doubt, and how you moved pass this.
Ask HN: What do you do when your insight (& vision) scares you?
11–17 of 17 posts
Re: Ask HN: What do you do when your insight (& vision) scares you?
#12Whenever I catch myself believing I have a unique world-changing insight, I just need to think some more to then realise what is ignorant/grandiose about it. (As an example; the actual reason for wars is not ideological, or "hate", or failure to communicate, or anything such. It's just "fighting for resources".)
1. been through this process of "falsification" Yet the logic is sound.
2. It could be self-delusion (possible)
Hence have been testing assumptions.
Re: Ask HN: What do you do when your insight (& vision) scares you?
#13Honestly, reading this post, I think I can validly extrapolate that you should be asking a therapist about this and not Hacker News. Outside of that, are you afraid of people calling you crazy or are you afraid of people telling you that you're _wrong_?
Re: Ask HN: What do you do when your insight (& vision) scares you?
#14The problem with your example is that there are still a lot of people making swords. The idea of "lets have a talk instead of fight" is nice, but the peace won't last long when there's someone making swords for everyone who disagrees with you.
To keep peace you need bigger stick than the others..
Re: Ask HN: What do you do when your insight (& vision) scares you?
#15Can this be applied to a small group (for example an island in your tataoine example) or everyone in the word must agree? Is this about a technology change or a political change?
Yes it can be applied to a small group (i.e it can be scaled down). i.e there is a plan to start small, but also grow big.
Can you start it without ruining your finances, or you must quit your job and sell your home?
Re: Ask HN: What do you do when your insight (& vision) scares you?
#16Remember when Blackberry succeeded in the market by calling their text-messaging device a "two-way pager" even though, technically, it was a mobile computer with modem and not at all a pager?
Chances are you'll fare best by hiding your earth-shattering new paradigm behind a veneer of familiarity. Then nobody has to know you have deep insights no one else has.
Re: Ask HN: What do you do when your insight (& vision) scares you?
#17You should act on it! Your insight is important and valuable, but it’s just a starting point.
Read some startup literature on validating problems. I recommend The Mom Test. You will want to talk to people to understand their existing behavior, without imposing your vision on them.
Once you’ve elicited this from people, you will want to assess whether your conceptualization of the world was right. It might turn out that people were warring because it gives men something to feel manly about. Then your conflict resolution approach will have no effect.
If you have validated that the problem exists, then the journey starts. You will have to figure out how you’re going to deliver your solution, how to promote it such that your audience will be receptive. Etc etc. But start with problem validation and be prepared to kill your precious vision at the altar of truth.
You seem like an idealist. So let me say two things:
1. don’t reject startup advice or business advice. Whatever your noble vision of the world, it will need a delivery and distribution mechanism to spread it. That will look like business and marketing. If you’re averse to it because it is “impure” you will only hinder your efforts.
2. It doesn’t matter if the world is not as it “should be”. Let’s say people are building swords because they just like fighting and feeling manly. It doesn’t matter that there is a theoretically better way to resolve conflict. Accept the world as it is and be humbled. It is you who was wrong, not every other person in the world.