The fallacy of the value just around the corner.

In my line of work, particularly when engaging with early-stage founders, a peculiar phenomenon often surfaces—a linguistic placeholder for value that doesn’t yet exist. Let’s call it the “fallacy of the value just around the corner.”

Here’s how it manifests: You’re in a meeting. Someone excitedly references an example—a polished website like Stripe’s. They praise its seamless design, elegant storytelling, and visual clarity. Then, with a flourish, they proclaim, “And our concept will slot right into this narrative!” The catch? Their concept doesn’t exist yet. Their concept is still intangible. Yet, they use this vision as a proxy for progress, making it sound like they’re on the verge of a breakthrough.

What they’ve created, unintentionally, is the design-world equivalent of “Lorem Ipsum” for value. A placeholder. A declaration that something valuable will emerge, but only once the undefined pieces fall into place. It’s not inherently deceitful—it’s human. But it’s dangerous because it bypasses the messy, essential work of clarity and understanding.

The fallacy stems from a desire to skip the ugly, iterative process of defining what’s real and valuable. It’s easier to anchor to an established benchmark like Stripe than to sit in the ambiguity of “we’re still figuring it out.” But the truth is, the process of figuring it out—the hard, honest work of articulating value—is where innovation lives. It is uncomfortable but also the most necessary stage of building something truly distinct.

Next time you catch yourself referencing a metaphor or example to articulate your product’s promise, ask yourself, “What’s the ground truth here?” Not what it looks like, but what it is. If you can’t articulate it in a sentence, you’ve got work to do. That’s okay. All ideas start in the space of not knowing.

The allure of “just around the corner” can be intoxicating. It can make you feel like success is inevitable as long as you stay the course. But it’s a mirage—a way to sound credible while avoiding the actual work. And credibility without clarity? That’s not a foundation—it’s quicksand.

Steve Berry
Principal, Thought Merchants