Timing is everything. Sometimes a failure is based on execution, other times it’s based on timing. So you would always want to be a little bit sooner than it needs to be. Nest was just a little bit too soon, but it worked out.
If it takes more than two minutes to sell your idea, either you’re probably not doing a good job explaining it or you’re too far advanced.
If you’re doing something that needs to be done right now, you’re probably not innovative enough.
Most people didn’t know what General Magic was, but we were basically creating the iPhone from 1991 to 1994. We had the best team and everything from downloadable apps to games and email. But it took us 15 years to get there. We were a total failure, showing up that late, even though we had the right idea.
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