The hours spent thinking and planning to refine an idea are known as what?

When considering the hours spent thinking and planning to refine an idea, this is best described as an intellectual investment. This type of investment focuses on the cognitive effort and critical thinking required to develop and enhance ideas, solutions, or projects. It encompasses activities such as brainstorming, analyzing information, and strategizing, all of which engage one's intellect and reasoning capabilities.

Intellectual investment reflects the dedication to understanding complexities and crafting a more polished, effective concept. Unlike physical investment, which pertains to tangible resources, or emotional investment, which involves feelings and emotional connections to a project or idea, intellectual investment specifically highlights the mental processes involved in shaping and advancing thoughts. Similarly, while social investment refers to the relationships and networking efforts made to support an idea, it does not capture the essence of the analytical and creative thinking that intellectual investment embodies.