“Just about every successful venture is based on an unoriginal idea, beautifully executed.” – Seth Godin When we talk about great innovations and successes in business we often assume that they’re based on great ideas. How many times have you heard about “a man with an idea and ambition,” or “the billion dollar idea”? And of course, every office has a resident “ideas person.” We persist in clinging onto this myth despite the mountain of evidence to the contrary. The truth is, ideas aren’t enough on their own—you need to know how to sell your idea, no matter how brilliant (or basic) it may be. That’s not to say that ideas aren’t important or valuable. They are! But how many times have you seen a great idea flop? Here are five reasons why you don’t need a genius idea to create a genius startup. 1. You Can Train Your Brain to Come up With Great Ideas Despite what you may think, ideas aren’t hard to come up with. You can sit around waiting for inspiration to strike like a mysterious bolt of lightening, but the truth is, the best ideas often come about when your mind is wandering and you suddenly make an unexpected connection. A great way to stimulate your brain into making these kinds of connections is giving it something to work with. In his book Technique for Producing Ideas, James Webb Young recommends a  process that includes gathering raw material, digesting it using prompts like index cards and scrapbooks, and then letting it settle and run through your brain’s unconscious processes until you get that hallowed “A ha!” moment. 2. Timing is Everything Let’s say you come up with the most awesome idea for a business ever, something so cutting edge and ahead of the curve that it seems guaranteed to be a hit. Take a step back and ask yourself: is the world—and the market—really ready for it? Throughout history, there have been so many amazing products that failed simply due to bad timing. For example, the first social network, sixdegrees.com was launched way back in 1997. It was a great idea, obviously. The problem was, it would be another decade or so before the technology and the market were ready for it. 3. Your Idea is not Unique—and That’s Okay We like to think of ourselves as beautiful, unique snowflakes—and in many ways we are. However, in other ways, we are all incredibly similar. Chances are, if you can come up with an idea, someone else has already thought up something similar. The good news is, that doesn’t matter. Don’t worry if someone steals your idea, or if someone else already made it to market with a similar product. Instead, focus on getting it right and meeting your customers’ needs! 4. Ideas Can Be a Starting Point Markets are constantly in a state of flux, and consumer trends are always changing. Just because there’s a market for your product today, doesn’t mean it will be there tomorrow. Many businesses start with an idea to do one thing, and wind up with a completely different offering by the time they get to market. And there’s nothing wrong with that! Consider French startup Moodstocks, which started as a social networking app and then switched to image recognition and was bought by Google. An idea can simply be launching pad that leads you to solve a lucrative problem that you otherwise would never have noticed. 5. Execution is Everything Having a good idea is one thing. Masterfully providing a seamless experience for your customers is another thing entirely. Once you decide on an idea, ask yourself if you are ready. Who is on your team? What’s your scope and budget? Who are you up against? Is there an actual need for your product? Can you even finish it? Selecting the right people for the job, ensuring you have prudent financial controls in place, and designing a realistic workflow are all essential for the success of your idea. If you already have an amazing idea for a business, that’s great. Just make sure you don’t get blinded by your own brilliance. And remember, plenty of people have made millions from mediocre ideas. For more great tips on starting a business, check my interview with guru Michael E. Gerber on creating a company with a dream, a vision, a purpose, and a mission on my Get Yourself Optimized podcast.