An idea isn't worth that much. It's the execution of the idea that has value. If you can't convince one other person that this is something to devote your life to, then it's not worth it.
Interpretation
Ideas are valuable only when they are acted upon and can inspire others.
This quote emphasizes that merely having a good idea is not sufficient; what truly matters is the ability to execute the idea and garner support from others. If an idea cannot engage or convince at least one other person to commit to it, its potential is limited, indicating the importance of collaboration and execution in achieving success.
In practice
In a motivational speech to young entrepreneurs discussing the importance of action.
Usability is not everything. If usability engineers designed a nightclub, it would be clean, quiet, brightly lit, with lots of places to sit down, plenty of bartenders, menus written in 18-point sans-serif, and easy-to-find bathrooms. But nobody would be there. They would all be down the street at Coyote Ugly pouring beer on each other.
There's a subtle reason that programmers always want to throw away the code and start over. The reason is that they think the old code is a mess. [...] The reason that they think the old code is a mess is because of a cardinal, fundamental law of programming: It's harder to read code than to write it.
A user interface is well-designed when the program behaves exactly how the user thought it would.
It’s okay. Let your ego push you to be the initiator. But tell your ego that the best way to get something shipped is to let other people take the credit. The real win for you (and your ego) is seeing something get shipped, not in getting the credit when it does.
I wanted to be famous for my music and my talent, and I always wished I could cut it out when I left the stage.
Champagne! In victory, one deserves it; in defeat one needs it.
To be in a position, at my age, where I am financially independent, I can help develop things, I can promote stuff that I believe in, I can say no a lot and spend time writing - that is a gift.
If you are honest with yourself and can look into a mirror and believe that you have given 100 percent, you should feel proud. If you cannot, then there is more work to be done.
Adequacy is the enemy of excellence.
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