Listen to the market.

This is up for debate. There is an art form to translating a market response and delivering a solution.

When solving a problem, there is a line that is very easy to cross—commitment and perseverance vs obstination and delusion.

This line is often observed but never confirmed because who knows who is right or wrong? Regardless of your experience and success, you can always “not get it”.

However, one party is entirely objective to the solution, the market. The market is composed of multiple different players. It provides a broad enough spectrum to validate the idea, problem and solution. It’s one multi-level validation that can operate on a minimum acceptance rate.

This is hard to get but very simple to test.

• You have an idea of how to solve a problem, and you get people excited. When it comes time to commit, the excitement disappears, and nobody wants to buy. The Market has spoken.
• You build a solution, go around selling it, and all you get is niche requirements and no commitment. The Market has spoken.
• You are convinced this is the next big thing and frustrated when they dont buy it. Go to your team and ask if they understand what you are trying to do if their answer is vastly different to yours. The Market has spoken.

In my experience, these are symptoms that you need to listen to, and your Startup translate engine needs to get tuned up.

It’s ok. If you are after solving something, you will commit and persevere, working hard until a solution comes and the market shows interest.

But if it is money, fame, and a unicorn you seek. Your obsitanton and delusion will make a lot of people (including yourself) lose a lot of time pursuing something without a soul.