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Comment by mherrmann | Hacker News Reader

I agree with the first half, but strongly disagree with the second half of what you wrote. Ideas matter immensely. If you work on the wrong thing, perfect execution is not going to get you anywhere. If you work on the right thing, then even with mediocre execution will bring you at least some success.

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I like to say that ideas are a multiplier.

The best idea in the world without execution: worth zero.

A very simple idea (say, a hamburguer stand) but executed well is worth a lot.

Then you have everything in between.

Like you say, even a mediocre execution on a great idea can be worth something - which is often the case of business software. You do run the risk of a competitor out-executing you, and the risk is greater the worse the execution was.

> Ideas matter immensely. If you work on the wrong thing, perfect execution is not going to get you anywhere.

Ideas do matter, but they're also a dime a dozen. Also, a mediocre idea executed well is far better than a fantastic idea executed poorly.

One man’s idea is another man’s execution. It’s a useless phrase, in my experience, because there is nothing that determines the difference. For instance, was git a novel idea of applied distributed merkle trees or simply the existing idea of version control executed better? I see it as primarily a matter of ideas, but to someone else, maybe not?

> If you work on the wrong thing, perfect execution is not going to get you anywhere. If you work on the right thing, then even with mediocre execution will bring you at least some success.

You're not wrong but that should be self-evident. Most people know when they have a bad idea, they just lack the humility to admit it.

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