“Is that even possible?”
Knowing what’s possible (and what isn’t) gives you a big head start in getting things done.
Funny example: I founds some folks on Quora asking if Jedi mind tricks could be real.
Like … real real.
Yeah.
These questions appear to be both sincere and literal, surprising as that might be.
But then again:
If it were possible to just wave your hand and get your neighbor to stop parking in front of your mailbox, wouldn’t you want to know about it?
On the other hand, if you already knew it was a mere fiction, you could avoid wasting time trying to perfect it. (“Dang it! Yesterday it worked and they parked in their driveway, but today they’re blocking the mailbox again! Must need more practice!”)
Knowing what’s possible matters a lot.
For example, I got a simple response to yesterday’s email about emailed reports from CiviCRM: “Awesome! I didn’t even know this was possible.”
Likewise, I myself have the experience, now and then, of banging away for hours trying to solve a certain problem, only to find that someone else had already created a simple solution. The problem was already solved — I just didn’t know about it.
Here’s the thing:
It can be hard to know whether your current problems already have a simple solution. Or if your own idea for a solution would even work.
You’ve got three options, as I see it:
Bang away for hours (or weeks, or months) on your own, trying to make it work.
Try a small proof-of-concept to test the parts you’re least certain about, so you can decrease the uncertainty with a minimum of expense and effort.
Ask someone who probably knows more than you. (Hopefully those Quora questioners have saved themselves some time and disappointment!)
Which option you choose is entirely up to you, of course.
All the bset,
A.