One Good Idea Takes Years

Ethan Evans worked at Amazon and holds over 70 patents. But here's what surprised me: he says invention isn't about constantly generating new ideas.

'People think invention takes all this time, but you only need two hours once a month. The thing is, once you have one good idea, it often takes years to express that.'

He points to Amazon Prime. It's a 20-year-old idea that's still being refined and improved. The Kindle. Decades old, still getting better.

'You don't need very many good ideas to be seen as tremendously inventive.'

This is liberating for parenting.

You don't need a new technique every week. You don't need to reinvent your approach every time something doesn't work. You need a few core ideas - and years to express them fully.

Maybe your core idea is: 'We talk about feelings in this family.' That's your Prime. You'll spend years figuring out how to implement it across ages and stages.

Maybe it's: 'We all help each other.' That's your Kindle. Simple concept, endless refinement.

Stop looking for the next parenting hack. Double down on the few good ideas you already have.