The Creative Contrarian

Wise Fool Strategy # 13Kiss a Favorite Idea Goodbye

“Kill your darlings.”

— William Faulkner, American Novelist

One major reason why some ideas stay in existence past their “relevancy expiration date” is that people fall in love with them, and continue to use them even though better alternatives are available. The Wise Fool counsels us to avoid falling in love with ideas — especially the ones that have brought us success in the past. This can be difficult though. If you have had success with a particular approach, you can develop an emotional attachment to it — and that can make it challenging to eliminate.

Here's a personal example. Years ago, I made the mistake of falling in love with the Palatino Semibold font. Let me explain. When I started my company, I asked many people what special “business success” tips they could pass along to me. The best advice came from my printer, who said, “Don't fall in love with typefaces.” He reasoned that if you fall in love with a particular font, you'll want to use it everywhere, even in jobs where it's inappropriate. I made the mistake of not listening to him. After awhile I fell in love with Palatino Semibold and used this typeface wherever I could — even in places where it clearly did not belong. Soon my design lost its freshness and looked hackneyed.

I think you can generalize this advice to “Don't fall in love with ideas.” If you ...