"The Best Ideas Are Painkillers, Not Vitamins" A Product Manager’s Perspective

When I came across this quote by Tony Fadell in his book Build, it immediately resonated with me:

“The best ideas are painkillers, not vitamins. Vitamin pills are good for you, but they’re not essential. You can skip your morning vitamin for a day, a month, a lifetime and never notice the difference. But you’ll notice real quick if you forget a painkiller. Painkillers eliminate something that’s constantly bothering you. The 'why' always has to be crisp and easy to articulate.”

This metaphor struck me because, as a product manager, it perfectly encapsulates the challenges and triumphs we face daily. We’re not just in the business of creating products—we’re in the business of solving real problems. And to solve those problems, we need ideas that act like painkillers, not just vitamins.

So, what does that mean for us in product management, and how do we ensure we’re delivering these essential solutions? Let’s dive into how this concept plays out in the real world of product strategy, OKR setting, and execution.

Why Product Management is All About the Pain

When we think of product management, the first thing that comes to mind is building something valuable for the customer. But valuable doesn’t just mean nice-to-have features or enhancements; it means solving a problem that customers can’t ignore—those daily frustrations that need an immediate fix.

In every planning cycle, when we define OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), the focus is not just on increasing engagement or growth for the sake of metrics. It’s about addressing the core issues that are constantly nagging at our users and our business. These are the pains that must be alleviated for both the product to thrive and the business to succeed.

It’s here where Tony Fadell’s metaphor shines—our goal as product managers is to find and deliver painkillers. These are the features, solutions, and improvements that eliminate the frustrations customers face, be it through inefficiencies, lack of functionality, or poor user experience.

The Endless Stream of Ideas

Every quarter, when we sit down to build our OKRs, we’re often bombarded with ideas. From customers, stakeholders, and even our own teams, the number of potential features and fixes seems endless. But here’s the catch—not every idea is a painkiller. Some ideas are vitamins—nice to have, sure, but not essential. They won’t change the game, and customers may not even notice if they’re missing.

This is where product discovery comes in. It’s our job to sift through this ocean of ideas and quickly validate the ones that solve real problems. If we spend too much time focusing on the wrong ideas, we risk stalling innovation and falling into the trap of endlessly refining the wrong feature set.

It’s not just about understanding the problems; it’s about delivering solutions that make a tangible impact. The faster we can validate an idea and determine whether it addresses a pain point, the more efficiently we can move forward with execution.

Validation: The First Dose of Painkillers

Once we identify a pain point and have an idea that seems like a potential painkiller, it’s time to validate. This can be one of the most exciting yet challenging stages in product management. The thrill of discovering a solution is often accompanied by the pressure to ensure it actually works.

At this stage, having quick prototypes or MVPs (Minimum Viable Products) is crucial. You don’t need to build the entire solution upfront, but you do need enough to test whether it really solves the problem. This is where those first doses of “painkillers” come in—you start to feel the relief, knowing that you’ve hit on something that will truly make a difference.

But validation is just the beginning. Once the idea is validated, the next step is execution, and this is where the real pain kicks in.

Execution: The Continuous Supply of Painkillers

Execution can be painful. No matter how well you’ve validated the idea, turning that idea into a fully functional product that aligns with customer needs and business objectives is a whole different challenge. You’ll encounter roadblocks—technical limitations, changing requirements, budget constraints—but that’s where the metaphor of painkillers continues to hold.

Each step in the execution process is like taking another dose of painkillers. You relieve one pain only to uncover another. But this is good pain. It means you’re making progress, addressing real issues, and moving closer to delivering a solution that matters.

In fact, as long as you’re in pain with a bottle of painkillers in hand, you know you’re on the right track. If there’s no pain, something is seriously wrong. Either you’re not solving the right problem, or the stakes aren’t high enough.

The Danger of a Pain-Free Process

If a product manager tells you they’re not experiencing any pain in their product cycle, you should be worried. A pain-free process often means the team is not pushing hard enough, not innovating, or not solving problems that truly matter. Pain is part of growth, and it signals that you’re tackling the tough, important issues head-on.

As long as you’ve got the right tools, ideas, and prototypes in hand, pain is a sign of progress. You don’t want to be stuck in the vitamin zone, creating features that don’t really move the needle.

The Takeaway

In product management, it’s easy to get caught up in the endless list of features and ideas. But the truth is, the best products are born from solving real, tangible problems that customers face every day. These are your painkillers, and without them, you’ll never take your product to the next level.

So, next time you’re brainstorming ideas, ask yourself: is this a vitamin or a painkiller? If it’s a painkiller, grab it, validate it, and get ready for the next stage of execution. And remember, as long as you’re feeling the pain with those painkillers nearby, you’re on the right path.