You have an idea and you feel it’s a great idea. You feel happy, elated, and you have an urge to immediately do something about it.

Is there a connection between your emotions about your idea, and its potential for success? Does emotion predict your ability to successfully execute your idea?

And, why do you get this feeling with only some of your ideas?

The following two things cause it:

• The idea itself - how it relates to the problem it solves, to the people it will help, and to the real world.

• How it relates to your subconscious knowledge (including past experiences).

Whenever you think of your idea, you judge it by these two things. The combined judgement makes you feel a certain way.

It is when both judgements are positive that you feel elation, excitement, and “idea happiness.”

So, is there a connection between this “idea happiness,” and the likelihood your idea will succeed?

I suggest there is, but...

It is not much of an indicator at your initial eureka moment. You should think about it more and talk with others.

You’ll discover problems, your judgement will change, and so will your emotion. Then, you’ll come up with new solutions, discover ways of making your idea better, and your judgement and emotion will change yet again. You’ll go through this a few times. It is a rollercoaster of emotions.

If, after many iterations, you still feel “idea happiness,” then it is a useful indicator.

You may think about it as a “survival of the fittest” tool for ideas. It is making you more likely to pursue a good idea because you are so happy about it.