Commandment number six: “Prove your hypothesis and validate your learning!” How many of us walk around every day with minds full of ideas that are only ideas—nothing of any substance?

“So? What’s wrong with that? Come on, an idea is an idea! Surely it has merit?”

Have you ever heard Abraham Lincoln’s saying about the fool? “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, then to speak and remove all doubt.” Ideas are like this. Many of them are foolish, although not to their creator of course. To their creator, ideas are precious gems that are worthy of the time and space within (and of) their mind … at least until they see those ideas in the cold, hard light of day, and the illusion is shattered (or not).

What is your most precious resource? Is it worth squandering that precious resource on an untested hypothesis (which is only a fancy term for an idea)? I think not! It is wonderful to have an idea. Just test it quickly, and either move on or develop it. Test early, and test quickly. Churn your ideas until you hit pay dirt. The true warrior knows that the riches, gems, and golden nuggets are surrounded by massive amounts of detritus; sometimes one has a lot of shovelling to do in order to discover true value. Rejoice in the shovelling, as with each shovelful, the warrior gets closer to his objective: a proven hypothesis!

You are warriors, and you will shovel again and again until you prove your most holy hypothesis. So it is written.