Years ago, I was developing a desktop aquaponics unit that I was planning on selling and turning into a business. I know it doesn't sound innovative, but at the time most prebuilt aquaponics systems for sale were large and unsophisticated. My idea was to build a 5-gallon aquaponics system that someone could have on their desk or windowsill that was extremely energy efficient. In fact, it'd be so efficient that only a moderate amount of sunlight would be required to keep it running. I developed a unique pumping system that was intended to require little power and few moving parts.

I told people what I was doing and I was told either "Yeah, I guess that's cool." or "Nobody's going to pay for that! You're crazy."

Eventually, I believed them, and so I quit what I was doing.

A year and a half later, this thing appeared in stores across the country:

https://backtotheroots.com/products/watergarden

It's nearly identical to what I was developing, although its less sophisticated and required more electricity(not that most people buying it would actually care). I was pissed off like no other time in my life. I'm not a violent person, but that one time I went out into the woods and beat shrubs with a stick to release my anger. :)

Looking back, I should have picked up where I left off even after learning that I'd been beaten to the finish line. Still , I felt very defeated. It was heartbreaking to see someone take what I thought was an original idea and make money after I'd spent countless hours building the electronics and testing various water pump/lifter designs.

More importantly, I shouldn't have listened to anyone. The average person doesn't know what they're talking about, which is why they're not coming up with their own ideas, why they elect slick-tongued buffoons into office, and why they're miserable working their lives away for other miserable know-nothings.

If you have an idea that you are passionate about, you're better off trying something and legitimately failing than to have watch someone else live the future you could have had because your family and friends think you should play it safe. Regret is tragic, but simple failure can be recovered from and forgotten once you've learned from it.

I recently quit my job to pursue an idea. We'll see what happens! I did decide to tell people what I was doing, but my previous experience taught me to disregard anything they say, including encouragement. I've been told "go for it" by some and "the gap will look bad on your resume" by others. It might have been a mistake to tell them anything at all because I do believe that exposing yourself to negative ideas can be damaging to your motivation, and same with positive ideas if you become worried about living up to them, but at least I've discovered that I've become a master of not giving a shit about what others think.