In a sea of choices

The market gets to decide what is popular, what sells, what is talked about.

Of course, the mass market is paranoid, emotional and wrong about most things, it doesn’t have good taste.

Thanks to the internet and Google, we fortunately live in a golden age of the long tail—there are many markets to choose from, an infinite amount of choices.

It can be overwhelming. Where do we start? What if we are wrong?

Well, were you able to decide what to have for lunch? You picked something, right? You didn’t starve yourself.

You might be wrong at first. The cost of failure has never been lower. (Chances are, you won’t starve.)

Decision-making gets better by making decisions. So decide how it is you are going to improve the world and start. Tomorrow, you can choose again.

If you are still not sure what to pick, here are two options:

Put up a poster board with sticky notes of your favorite ideas and while blindfolded throw darts at it. Whatever sticks is your next project.

Make a giant wheel, spin it, where it lands is what you start.

Whatever you do, don’t ask your friends or family. Chances are they won’t be your customers. Much better to find a product for your customers rather than finding customers for your product.