The Ugly Truth About Dumb Thinking

👋 Hi fellow dumdums,

Let’s start with a simple truth . . .

Most ideas that change the world sound dumb at first.

🏠 Airbnb?

Dumb. Who’d pay to sleep on a stranger’s couch?

🦶🏻Crocs?

Dumb. Foam clogs that look like Swiss cheese?

Even 🤮 kombucha was a dumb idea at the start.

A fizzy drink made from fermented tea and bacteria? Yuck. But also, yum?

And yet, here we are.

So let’s make some dumb.

🙃 Dumb Thought This Week . . .

For example: Play-Doh

Did you know that Play-Doh was invented—not as a toy, but as a wallpaper cleaner called, Kutol?

🤯 mind blown.

When the wallpaper cleaner eventually flopped, someone had the “dumb” idea to stop trying to fix the problem of dirty walls and start seeing the squishy substance differently.

An exec noticed kids molding the cleaner into shapes for fun, sparking an entirely new use.

The result?

Play-Doh—a product that now sells over 100 million cans a year.

The lesson?

Not every problem needs solving.

Sometimes, the smartest move is to stop fixing and start reimagining.

Or maybe a better example is the Ugly Sweater Phenomenon

Just a few weeks ago, your amazing Aunt Gladis likely made her annual holiday debut in a sweater so hideous it could stop Rudolph mid-flight.

And, of course, she didn’t stop there—she also gifted you one equally cringe-worthy.

Back in the day, you’d cringe so hard it felt like a full-body workout, feeling for her and, let’s be honest, for yourself.

But dumb thinking flips that scenario: instead of solving the “problem,” it asks, What if we leaned into the cringe? 

What if we embraced it so fully that we turned it into a holiday phenomenon?

Fast-forward to today: ugly sweaters are no longer a source of shame—they’re a festive “must-have.”

Ugly sweater parties, competitions, and companies selling designs with blinking lights, jingling bells, and next-level hideousness prove that what starts as a cringe-worthy “problem” can become cultural gold if you embrace it.

So, what could you stop fixing and start leaning into today?

Just like ugly Christmas sweaters turned cringe into a cultural goldmine, there’s another story of embracing the “ugly” that might make you rethink what we label as problems.

Ugly produce.

For years, lumpy potatoes and misshapen carrots were the black sheep of the produce aisle—rejected by grocery stores for not looking perfect.

They weren’t shiny enough, symmetrical enough, or “Instagrammable” enough to make the cut.

These fruits and veggies weren’t seen as quirky; they were seen as a problem.

But then someone had the “dumb” idea to stop fixing the problem of ugliness and embrace it instead. 

What if those quirky shapes and blemishes weren’t flaws, but features?

The result? Companies like Imperfect Foods and Misfits Market built entire brands around these so-called rejects, transforming them into lovable, eco-friendly heroes.

What was once wasted is now celebrated as a sustainable lifestyle choice—and a very profitable one at that.

The takeaway?

Not every problem needs solving.

Sometimes, all it takes is leaning into what’s already there.

A Japanese word meaning "golden joinery," kintsugi is the art of repairing broken pottery with gold.

But it’s not about hiding the cracks—it’s about embracing them, turning flaws into features.

The philosophy behind kintsugi teaches us to find beauty in imperfection, celebrating the unique story of something that’s been “broken” instead of trying to make it look perfect again.

It’s the perfect metaphor for the magic that happens when you stop fixing and start embracing—whether it’s sweaters, produce, or life itself.

The Ugly Opportunity Challenge

This week, I challenge you to embrace something “ugly” in your life.

Look around for a “problem” you’ve been trying to fix or avoid—something imperfect, awkward, or just plain annoying—and ask yourself:

What if I leaned into it instead of fighting it?

Could it even become a business idea?

Maybe it’s that daily frustration of tripping over your pet’s toys.

Instead of trying to hide or organize them, could you design a new quirky storage solution that doubles as home decor?

Imagine a fun product for pet owners who love their chaos but want to make it look intentional.

Or perhaps you’ve been battling an overflowing junk drawer.

What if you embraced the randomness and created a subscription box inspired by the treasures people find in their own junk drawers—quirky, nostalgic, and full of surprises?

The goal isn’t just to fix a problem; it’s to find opportunity in the flaws.

This week, take one “problem” in your life and imagine how embracing it could turn into something bigger—something creative, maybe even profitable.

The Embrace-It Toolkit:

✓ Highlight the Quirk: Take what feels awkward or out of place and make it the main event. Just like ugly produce became “quirky heroes,” spotlight the feature you once saw as a flaw.

✓ Double Down: Instead of hiding or softening the problem, amplify it. Make it louder, brighter, or bolder—like ugly sweaters turned into outrageous, over-the-top party staples.

✓ Find the Underdog Appeal: Frame the problem as the underdog worth rooting for. People love a good redemption story—whether it’s a product, idea, or even yourself.

✓ Celebrate the Story: Shift focus from “fixing” to storytelling. How did the problem come to be? Why does it matter? When you share the story, the problem transforms into something meaningful.

✓ Flip the Context: Change where or how the “problem” shows up. Something unwanted in one space might be a genius idea somewhere else—like Play-Doh going from wallpaper cleaner to a children’s toy.

Thanks for embracing the power of dumb thinking with me today!

SHARE YOUR “UGLY EMBRACE” STORY WITH US: Tell me about a time you stopped fixing a problem and embraced it instead—turning it into something surprising or even brilliant. The best story wins our “Embrace-It Toolkit” AND a signed copy of my book, Dumbify.

Stay boldly problematic,
David

P.S. Know someone who’s always trying to fix everything? Forward this email—sometimes the best ideas come from leaning into the messy, quirky, and downright “ugly.”