the real danger here isn’t wasted time - it’s false signals. early hype ≠ early traction clicks ≠ conviction interest ≠ intent when you chase what resonates online, you often drift away from what hurts offline. if you’re early stage, here’s the sequence that actually compounds: 1. pain → narrative → product → distribution not the other way around. 2. ask “what’s broken enough that people hack around it?” real markets start there. 3. don’t seek dopamine from launches. seek clarity from rejection. that’s where truth hides.