The Idiot’s Advantage

My friend started a disc golf company that creates discs from 100% recycled material. Anyone who knows anything about plastics knows that this is a difficult thing to do. 

It’s a good thing my friend didn’t know anything about plastic. 

He announced his company by making a YouTube video in June 2020. He said “I’m making a fully recycled disc,” and then vlogged the process of learning about the machinery needed to do so. 

Anyone who knows anything about plastic knows that recycled materials are inconsistent, flimsy, and generally a poor choice when creating a balanced piece of sporting equipment. 

It’s a good thing my friend didn’t know anything about plastic. 

My friend garnered a community of disc golf and sustainability enthusiasts who followed his journey. He filmed and published every mistake along the way. 

Anyone who knows anything about plastic chimed in on the YouTube comments, telling my friend about the obvious mistakes he was making, and why his plan wouldn’t work. 

It’s a good thing my friend never reads his YouTube comments. 

Two years of relentless work later, my friend launched his first fully recycled disc. He sold 10,000 units in an hour. HIs community rallied behind him because they saw someone achieve the impossible. 

In every industry, best practices and shortcuts can quickly become mental roadblocks. Insider knowledge becomes a rut that keeps people from trying new things. 

The idiot doesn’t have an advantage in speed or efficiency.

The idiot’s advantage lies in innovation.