The Surprising Power of Telling Everyone Your Idea—Before It’s Perfect

It’s easy to think you should wait until your idea is 'ready' before sharing it. Most people hold back, fearing someone will steal their thunder or tear down their ambition. But as Netflix’s early team learned, broadcasting ideas before they're cooked often produces unexpected gifts. Every feedback session exposed hidden flaws, surfaced earlier failures in the industry, or connected them with someone who'd been there. Sometimes, someone even wanted to join the project. It turned brainstorming from a private activity into an enriching, collaborative experience. Sure, exposure brings vulnerability, but it also brings a rush of new perspectives and accelerates learning. Cognitive science shows that creativity and critical thinking are activated when explaining ideas aloud, especially to mixed audiences. The discomfort is real—but so is the growth.

Push yourself to bring up your raw, early-stage ideas to several people, not just your closest friends but also critics or even people in other fields. Build a habit of asking them for honest feedback, and then resist jumping to defend yourself. Each time, jot down what surprised you or what made your idea better. Don’t wait for perfection—appreciate the chaos of collective wisdom. It’s uncomfortable at first but gets easier with every conversation you have.