I meet with lots of entrepreneurs who tell me everyone they speak with loves their idea. That is usually just people being nice. Instead, I try to seek out people who think differently than me and will challenge my ideas. If everyone tells you yes you learn nothing and can’t improve your idea. Here are a few reasons why.

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Blind spots

As humans we tend to hear what we want to hear to confirm our hypotheses. But we all have blind spots. Finding someone who comes from a different background, different skill set, or different experiences can often shine a light into an area we are not appropriately thinking about. These new perspectives can help you avoid issues down the road.

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Revising ideas

The best part about hearing contrarian viewpoints or challenges is you get the opportunity to revise your ideas. Even if after the discussion you still feel confident, you have at least better understood how to overcome that challenge. There is also a strong chance these different viewpoints allow you to revise your original idea and get to something even stronger.

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Learn the “No’s”

Lastly, there will be “No’s” in your startup journey from people looking to join your team, from potential customers, or potential investors. Learning some of the reasons why there could be “No’s” early will help you better prepare for those objections and build your case to overcome them.

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There are certain people you probably know that tend to see the world differently. Actively seek out people like that to challenge your ideas and learn from them early in your startup journey. The most important thing is learning and iterating; what better way to do that than challenging existing ideas and pushing your thinking.