Welcome to the Forum for InventorSpot.com, the most popular invention related website in the world. Read our welcome message.
Inventor Blindness
by Stephen Casey » Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:28 pm
-
Stephen Casey - White Belt
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:26 pm
I just watched a recorded episode of an American
Inventor, television program. Season two episode one I believe. I do not normally watch television so until a couple days ago I was not aware of the series.
(I try to maintain as commercial free lifestyle as mush as possible I use
Netflix for movies, Rhapsody for music.)
Anyhow what was apparent was not just the productions narrow focus on
the MELLO-drama.
What struck me was some of the inventors had all their focus on a
single contraption - for years at a time drawing in no purposeful
special knowledge to improve said invention. Plus they have a growing
belief in an increasing value of their invention in equal measure to
how long they had spent obsessing about it. These are mistakes.
I believe one of the great blessings of aging is maturity that brings
a calmer mindset that facilitates objectivity.
But equally valuable is life experience such as unrelated business
conflicts, successes and failures makes us more ready to hear no, and
to really hear why they are saying no, or yes. Clients will give you a
hug but they will not give you a dollar unless it enriches their
interest empowers their company educates their offspring. If they did,
they would likely not be good business associates for the long haul.
As inventors we do fall in love with out inventions as the act of
creating do press on the pleasure centers of our brain. It can be hard
to tear ourselves away from that ONE rewarding perspective. Time spent
on other things is sometimes the only thing that will allow us to get
a fresh perspective.
Inventor, television program. Season two episode one I believe. I do not normally watch television so until a couple days ago I was not aware of the series.
(I try to maintain as commercial free lifestyle as mush as possible I use
Netflix for movies, Rhapsody for music.)
Anyhow what was apparent was not just the productions narrow focus on
the MELLO-drama.
What struck me was some of the inventors had all their focus on a
single contraption - for years at a time drawing in no purposeful
special knowledge to improve said invention. Plus they have a growing
belief in an increasing value of their invention in equal measure to
how long they had spent obsessing about it. These are mistakes.
I believe one of the great blessings of aging is maturity that brings
a calmer mindset that facilitates objectivity.
But equally valuable is life experience such as unrelated business
conflicts, successes and failures makes us more ready to hear no, and
to really hear why they are saying no, or yes. Clients will give you a
hug but they will not give you a dollar unless it enriches their
interest empowers their company educates their offspring. If they did,
they would likely not be good business associates for the long haul.
As inventors we do fall in love with out inventions as the act of
creating do press on the pleasure centers of our brain. It can be hard
to tear ourselves away from that ONE rewarding perspective. Time spent
on other things is sometimes the only thing that will allow us to get
a fresh perspective.
Re: Inventor Blindness
by DBayless » Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:47 pm
-
DBayless - White Belt
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 7:03 am
Stephen Casey wrote:But equally valuable is life experience such as unrelated business conflicts, successes and failures makes us more ready to hear no, and to really hear why they are saying no, or yes.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias">Confirmation bias</a> is the bane of many an aspiring inventor and entrepreneur. I wish I could say that I was immune.
Read my blog: <a href="http://swni.typepad.com/dispatches/">http://swni.typepad.com/dispatches/</a>
by Stephen Casey » Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:36 am
-
Stephen Casey - White Belt
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:26 pm
REWROTE 9-18
"Confirmation Bias," is an excellent term that I do not remember coming across, although my memory is much better in the morning. Thanks for the link to the Wiki I will read the whole thing in the next couple days and likely well beyond along the same lines.
Inventors can run themselves into the financial ground and even take extended family or friends with them when the inventor excludes anyone but those with , "Lets all just tell him what he wants to hear." Or investor friends have cash cow dream in their eyes.
Although I have seen the same thing happen in business, were the managers or owners fire anyone with opposing opinion resulting in crippling stagnation that brings the whole ship down.
But of course I have been guilt of the same mind set to some extent in more than one occasion I can recall. Yep, guilty as sin.
"Confirmation Bias," is an excellent term that I do not remember coming across, although my memory is much better in the morning. Thanks for the link to the Wiki I will read the whole thing in the next couple days and likely well beyond along the same lines.
Inventors can run themselves into the financial ground and even take extended family or friends with them when the inventor excludes anyone but those with , "Lets all just tell him what he wants to hear." Or investor friends have cash cow dream in their eyes.
Although I have seen the same thing happen in business, were the managers or owners fire anyone with opposing opinion resulting in crippling stagnation that brings the whole ship down.
But of course I have been guilt of the same mind set to some extent in more than one occasion I can recall. Yep, guilty as sin.
by bottleslingguy » Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:17 am
-
bottleslingguy - Black Belt
- Posts: 1770
- Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:41 am
Confirmation Bias- I like that, a new way of saying you are lying to yourself. It IS the bane of budding inventors. I've gone through it too and see people doing it all the time. It's when you don't want to even go in certain areas that are necessary for completing your invention. Whether it be making a working prototype, doing a realistic cost/price analysis or getting unbiased opinions in the real world, it is something too many inventors want to ignore.
It's like being told you have an ugly baby, you just don't want to believe it so you keep it in the subjective realm. Maybe some folks are more comfortable staying in that sort of limbo instead of actually crossing over into the light?
It's like being told you have an ugly baby, you just don't want to believe it so you keep it in the subjective realm. Maybe some folks are more comfortable staying in that sort of limbo instead of actually crossing over into the light?
by Road Show » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:59 am
-
Road Show - Brown Belt
- Posts: 962
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 5:39 pm
- Location: SoCal
BSG,
Many objectives in life are never attained because of this fear of failure. Inventors tend to "half-ass" the effort, or omit the serious scrutiny of a marketability study, because of the possibility that something unfavorable will reveal itself. Better to find out earlier than later. But you're right that many inventors stay in that comfort zone, never really putting in a serious effort to market a product. Many equate the money spent to their "determination". To me that is fool's logic, but for many inventors it's the "true test" of commitment. Hey, if one never tries to market the product, at least it can be said that the invention didn't fail because no one liked it!
RSG
Many objectives in life are never attained because of this fear of failure. Inventors tend to "half-ass" the effort, or omit the serious scrutiny of a marketability study, because of the possibility that something unfavorable will reveal itself. Better to find out earlier than later. But you're right that many inventors stay in that comfort zone, never really putting in a serious effort to market a product. Many equate the money spent to their "determination". To me that is fool's logic, but for many inventors it's the "true test" of commitment. Hey, if one never tries to market the product, at least it can be said that the invention didn't fail because no one liked it!
RSG
by AmericanCynic » Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:06 pm
- AmericanCynic
- Yellow Belt
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2007 11:07 pm
This is hardly unique to inventors. Anyone who has ever glanced at the American Idol auditions knows those people suffer from the same thing.
by bottleslingguy » Sun Sep 23, 2007 6:31 pm
-
bottleslingguy - Black Belt
- Posts: 1770
- Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:41 am
I think it is symptomatic of the Lottery Mentality.
by Work2XL » Sun Oct 14, 2007 2:14 pm
-
Work2XL - Blue Belt
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:56 pm
- Location: Denver
I agree it is a fine line we sometimes walk. One of the biggest things that trap me in my opinion is the successes of some of the most ridculous products in the market, and some contest winners. "My product is better than that" or "If they can make money then I should be able to."
My 4.2 cents.
Randy
My 4.2 cents.
Randy
8 posts
• Page 1 of 1