An old limit can become an old assumption.

My takeaway from Abundance was simple: an idea that is too expensive or difficult today may deserve another look later. Tools improve. Costs fall. More people get access to things that were once out of reach.

That does not make every old idea a good one. It gives me a reason to check whether the obstacle is still there.

What changes when the cost falls?

If something becomes easier to make or use, more people can try it. Then the next problem becomes clearer. Making something affordable does not automatically make it useful or trustworthy.

That is the part I want to keep from the book: optimism should make me look closer and test an idea. It should not replace the test.

Try the idea on something real.

  1. Name something that is too expensive or hard to get.
  2. Find evidence that this is changing.
  3. Explain what people could do if it became more affordable or easier to get.
  4. Ask what would still make that difficult.
  5. Try one small test before committing to the full idea.

Explore the idea with this prompt.

I am thinking about [an idea, product, or industry].

1. What used to be too expensive or hard to get?
2. Is that changing? Show the evidence and when it was published.
3. What could people do if it became cheaper or easier to get?
4. What other difficulty would they face?
5. Suggest a small test I can run within 30 days. Explain what the result would tell me.

Separate facts from assumptions. Say what evidence would support taking the next step, and what would suggest stopping.

Abundance

Paperback edition. ISBN 9781451616835.

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