100 Ways Ideas Die.

Why Most Ideas Get Shot Down

Everyone has ideas, But then what? For some, it is enough to have the idea. But most people aren’t satisfied by the
mere act of thinking. Instead, they want to put those ideas to work. So, next they need to persuade
someone else to embrace their new found ideas in order for those ideas to be accepted and become
a reality. Businesses persuade customers, bosses persuade employees, politicians persuade citizens,
men persuade woman, mothers persuade fathers, wives persuade husbands,
children persuade
parents… or vice versa. In turn, corporations and governments and colleagues and friends and
siblings persuade each other. And sometimes, people just have to convince themselves. At some
level, every human is involved in the generation of ideas and then the solicitation of those ideas.
Most of the time, somewhere along the way, a person’s idea gets changed before their concept
transaction is completed. Sometimes their concept lives and evolves, but more often it dies. Once
a concept is conceived, persuading someone else to buy into that concept usually causes any of
the following circumstances to happen (particularly in business, marketing & sales, the arts, science,
government, and any entrepreneurial venture)…

The boss won’t go for that.
The lawyers won’t go for that.
The accountants won’t go for that.
The client won’t go for that.
The salespeople won’t go for that.
The investors won’t go for that.
So and so won’t like it.
It’s not us.
It won’t fit into our system.
We’re not ready for that yet.
I don’t think it will work.
I don’t understand.
Do you understand?
Will anyone understand?
What will they think of next?
It’s politically incorrect.
It’s too complicated.
It’s too late for that now.
t’s too expensive.
We’ll lose money.
Why?
What!?
Who says?
Nobody will want that.
Where are you coming from?
It can’t be done.
Have the committee review it.
Let’s do more research.
Let’s take a vote on it.
Let’s play devil’s advocate.
I’ve never heard of such a thing.
We’ve already tried that.
That’s been done before.
It’s not how we do things here.
We’ve never done anything like that.
We’ll get back to you.
That’s a subject for another meeting.
It creates more problems than it solves.
Sounds like too many problems.
That only solves some of the problems.
That’s going to cause problems.
Here we go again.
That’s unique, but . . .
Very interesting, but . . .
I understand, but . . .
I love it, but . . .
Great idea, but . . .
Yes, but . . .
Sounds simple, but . . .
But . . .
It’s just not for us.
Try again.
That sucks.
Needs more pizzazz!
I don’t like it.
Have you thought it through?
It won’t sell.
Maybe next time.
Another day.
What are people going to say?
People will think we’re nuts!
That’s BS.
Be realistic.
How about this instead?
Get a grip!
Are you serious?
That turns me off!
The client is too liberal for that.
The client is too conservative for that.
What else do you have?
So!
So what?
Oh . . .
Oh?
Oh, really!
Get real, it’s not feasible.
Sounds crazy!
Nobody does that.
Are you kidding me?
That’s too off the wall.
You can’t argue with success.
You can’t fight City Hall.
We don’t have time to do it.
Let’s not reach beyond our grasp.
We’re overextended already.
Let’s wait ‘til we see the numbers.
You’re proposing what?
Let’s not rock the boat.
Silence.
Laughter.
Boos.
Where did that come from?
I’ve got a better idea.
Hey, there’s a recession going on.
We’ve never done anything like that.
The press will kill us.
That’s not your decision to make.
We’ll step on too many toes.
Just leave it to me; I’ll take care of it.
You could lose your job for that . . .


What people really mean to say , but would never openly admit is …
they are innately AFRAID. Afraid of anything that is new, improved, unique,
different and/or better (anything that acts like a catalyst fo r change)
and/or thi ngs they are not familia r wi th and/or anythi ng tha t annoys ,
threatens, or harms their ego , status, power, or livelihood .

Because of their fear, it is so much easier for most people to say ‘NO’, rather than ‘yes’ to your
concept. It is understandable that they want to fix it, or change it, or add to it, or subtract from it,
or water it down, or make it less simple-direct-and-to-the-point, or put their own imprint on it, or
try to make it more conventional, or more familiar, or more safe, or just keep the status quo. People
are afraid of evolution, replacements, substitutes, anything that interferes with their past loyalties
or modus operandi, or encroaches on their self, special or vested interest, or forces them to give up
the bird in their hand for the (different) bird in the bush.

It is also reassuring for some people to take the daring part out of a concept and grind the rough
edges, then sandpaper it to death. Oscar Wilde put it this way: “A concept that isn’t dangerous is
hardly worth calling a concept at all.” It is often the shocking part, the frightening part, the unknown
element, the element of risk, which makes a great new concept in the first place.
(Not only do these symptoms apply to the influence others have on your ideas, but also the influence
you exert over your own ideas, when ‘idea-suicide’ caused by your own self-doubts and insecurities
influence your decisions about your own ideas that guide and form your life).

Source: 100 Ways to Kill a Concept:
Why Most Ideas Get Shot Down
By Michael Iva