THE PRINCIPLE
For other people to get excited by something,first you have to be excited by it
Someone asked the great Quincy Jones how he knew that a song or album was going to be a hit. He said some people in the music business believe in using focus groups and other research strategies, but his approach is different. He said:
‘I believe in goosebumps.’
He knows that if something you create gives you goosebumps, the chances are that it’ll do the same for others.
Before you move forward into the next part, which will give you methods for turning your ideas into realities, I suggest that you write down the answers to the following questions for each project you pursue. Then take them with you for the rest of your journey with that idea or project.
What do I want the user to feel when they experience what I have created?
Much of the time we hope to create a certain kind of experience for the people who use our product or service, and often the most important part of that is emotional. What emotions do you want to evoke?
What parts of the project are most exciting for me personally?
These elements usually are the quirkiest or most individual and therefore often the first to be eliminated because they don’t fit an established pattern or norm. However, they also may be exactly the elements that could lead you to a breakthrough.
What unique strengths do I bring to this project?
Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses, and figure out how to allow the project to reflect those strengths.
Where does my intuition lead me in regard to this project?
This is part of the ‘goosebumps’ aspect of what you’re setting out to do. What hunches and feelings do you have about what you can accomplish with this project?
What are ten reasons why I CAN do this project successfully?
Usually our first impulse upon having a new idea is to come up with ten reasons why we probably couldn’t do it, and if we run short, helpful friends and relatives are happy to chime in with their negativity. Consciously listing ten reasons why success is possible helps to counteract this habit.
When the critics review this project, what kind of raves will they give it?
Be as specific as possible – even sit down and write the review yourself.
Keep a journal for each project you undertake, and make these questions and answers the first section you write. The journey will not always be smooth – looking back on how and why the project gave you goosebumps will help you along the way.
Me? I get goosebumps imagining the great ideas you will generate with the help of this book.
