Passion Blindness

Definition

A leadership pathology where emotional attachment to a vision impairs the organization's ability to perceive market reality, customer feedback, and product-market fit signals. The organization becomes cognitively compromised by its own enthusiasm.

Diagnostic Criteria

1. Founder demonstrates strong emotional attachment to original vision
2. Negative customer feedback is systematically dismissed or reframed
3. Market research findings are ignored when contradicting the vision
4. Product development continues despite clear product-market fit problems

Symptoms

• Dismissal of negative customer feedback
• Overconfidence in product-market fit
• Selective attention to confirming signals
• Resistance to market research findings
• Attribution of failures to external factors

Risk Factors

• First-time founders with deep personal investment in idea
• Founders who quit stable careers for the venture
• Strong early validation from friends/family
• Previous success leading to overconfidence

References