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Ideas are fragile. That’s the core message Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, wants every entrepreneur and innovator to understand. The next big thing often doesn’t start as a polished, ready-to-launch idea. It starts as something half-formed, uncertain, or even downright crazy. And what determines whether that idea takes flight isn’t just the idea itself—it’s the people you surround yourself with.
Altman’s advice? Find people who nurture ideas, not crush them.
Let’s break down how this works in practice—and how you can apply it to your own life with a few powerful examples.
Photo: Geekwire
Who is Sam Altman?
Sam Altman is one of the most influential figures in the tech world. As the former president of Y Combinator, he helped launch companies like Airbnb, Dropbox, and Stripe. He’s also the CEO of OpenAI, the organization behind groundbreaking AI technologies like ChatGPT.
Altman’s experience with startups and innovation has given him a unique perspective on how to turn fragile ideas into reality.
Ideas Need a Safe Space to Grow
Imagine you’ve just had a spark of inspiration. It’s messy, half-formed, and even you aren’t sure if it’s any good. You share it with someone, and they immediately respond with:
“That’s never going to work.”
Ouch. Chances are, you’ll abandon the idea right there.
Now imagine a different response:
“That’s wild. But if it worked, it could be huge. What if we did this to make it better?”
That’s the kind of energy Altman believes fuels innovation. It’s not about blind optimism—it’s about staying open long enough to explore the possibilities before dismissing an idea.
“When you find this set of people to start talking about ideas with, you want people that don’t immediately shoot a bad, half-baked, half-formed idea down,” Altman says.
Airbnb: How Two Broke Founders Turned an Idea into a $100B Business
Let’s rewind to 2007. Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were broke, living in a small apartment, and desperate to pay rent. One day, they had a strange idea: What if they rented out air mattresses in their living room to conference attendees?
Most people would have laughed them off the stage. But instead of dismissing it, they kept talking about the idea with each other. Over time, “Air Bed & Breakfast” evolved into Airbnb, one of the most successful companies in the world.
The key? Chesky and Gebbia didn’t kill the idea when it was half-baked. They kept refining it, talking to people who encouraged experimentation, and adapting based on feedback.
“Notice problems, have people to talk with,” Altman advises. Finding those sounding boards is critical to innovation.
Lesson: Every great company starts as something a little ridiculous. But with the right support, it can become something incredible.
Even Steve Jobs Needed Idea People
Even one of history’s greatest innovators—Steve Jobs—needed people who could build on half-formed ideas. When Jobs envisioned a personal computer for everyday people, the concept was far from complete.
Jobs shared his vision with Steve Wozniak, who immediately began experimenting with designs. Instead of saying, “That’s too complicated,” Wozniak started tinkering, improving the idea step by step until the first Apple computer came to life.
Without that dynamic of creative support, Apple might never have existed.
Tesla’s Idea for an All-Electric Sports Car Was a Moonshot
When Elon Musk proposed making an all-electric sports car with long range and high performance, most of the world thought he was insane. At the time, electric cars were viewed as glorified golf carts.
But Musk surrounded himself with engineers and partners who didn’t dismiss the idea. Instead, they kept asking, “What would it take to make this work?”
The result? The Tesla Roadster, which set the stage for the electric vehicle revolution.
Tesla’s success didn’t come from one breakthrough technology. Like Altman says, “It’s about finding people who say, ‘How can we figure out how to make it work?’”
How to Build Your “Idea-Boosting” Team
So how can you surround yourself with the kind of people Altman talks about? Here are three key strategies:
1. Seek Out “Yes, And” People
Find people who add to your ideas, not just critique them. You don’t want someone who blindly agrees with everything, but you do want someone who’s willing to say, “That’s interesting—how could we make it better?”
2. Stay Away from Early Critics
There’s a time and place for critical feedback, but it shouldn’t come too early. If an idea is still fragile, share it with people who are open-minded and supportive before subjecting it to harsh scrutiny.
3. Create Regular Brainstorming Sessions
Many great ideas are born out of casual, collaborative conversations. Schedule regular brainstorming sessions with your team or friends to bounce ideas around without judgment.
Final Thought: Nurture the Wild Ideas
The next world-changing idea probably won’t come fully formed. It’ll be messy, uncertain, and a little crazy. But with the right people and the right mindset, that half-baked idea could become something extraordinary.
As Sam Altman says, “Think how big it could be if it did work.”
So, the next time you hear a wild idea, don’t dismiss it—ask how it can be nurtured. That’s how innovation happens.
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