Approval is not evidence
Validation is not asking people if they like your idea
People are often generous with encouragement, especially when there is no cost to saying yes. Real validation looks for behaviour, urgency, trade-offs and commitment, not just polite approval.
Signals to notice
01
People say it sounds useful, but do not take the next step.
02
Feedback is positive because there is no real trade-off.
03
The question being tested is preference, not commitment.