«Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.» This phrase, repeated as a motivational mantra, has fueled countless projects, some thriving, others fading into obscurity. But this boost of optimism, if not tempered with caution, can become a ticking time bomb. Because, frankly, not every idea is viable, and the market, with its unforgiving logic of supply and demand, is the final arbiter.
The Myth of Unlimited Motivation
«On more than one occasion, I’ve seen situations akin to post-traumatic stress surrounding professional projects that, after going through all the stages, are inevitably and permanently abandoned due to the unyielding rigidity of the numbers, which simply reduce the entire preceding process to a numerical value.»
«Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t» is only part of the story. The full, if less inspiring, version is: «Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t—the market will.» And trust me, the market doesn’t pull any punches. It will make itself clear through weak (or nonexistent) sales, a lack of interest from the target audience, and, ultimately, business failure.
Examples of Dreams That Clashed with Reality
- Failed attempts at “innovations” without demand: Let’s think about a device that promised to revolutionize the way we cook, but that required a very steep learning curve and didn’t solve a real problem for consumers, nor did it improve upon existing solutions (something I already explained in this model). Despite the creator’s enthusiasm and conviction that it was an innovative product, the market simply ignored it.
- The case of ephemeral social networks that failed to take off: Many social networks have tried to replicate the success of giants like Meta, offering similar or slightly different proposals. However, most have failed by not managing to attract a critical mass of users. The market, in this case, demonstrated that there was no room for a proposal that didn’t offer significant differential value.
- The freelancer with low prices and a high need for volume: A talented graphic designer decides to start out as a freelancer. Excited by the idea of being their own boss, they begin offering their services without a deep market analysis. Faced with the need to attract many clients to scale quickly, they find it impossible to do so without lowering prices. However, they soon realize that, to achieve a decent income, they need an overwhelming number of projects. The workload becomes unsustainable, the quality of the service suffers, and despite the great effort, profitability never arrives. They end up facing a classic problem: a poor product-market fit combined—the erratic pricing strategy simply ends up being the icing on the cake. The market was telling them, through the lack of profitability, that their business model was unsustainable.
When to Persist and When to Let Go
It’s also not about getting stuck in ‘perpetual pivoting,’ constantly shifting direction without a clear strategy. Sooner or later, you have to make a decision and face the consequences. Particularly in startups, where time and resources are scarce, it’s crucial to know when to persevere and when to give up. The music stops in musical chairs, and when it does, not everyone gets a seat.
Conclusion: Balancing Passion with Analysis
Passion and perseverance are essential for entrepreneurship, but they shouldn’t blind us to market realities. Listening to the market, analyzing the data, and being honest with ourselves are equally crucial skills. Sometimes, «don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t» becomes a dangerous form of self-delusion. True courage lies in recognizing when an idea needs to mature, adapt, or simply be scrapped for a more viable venture
