Ideas are a Dime a Dozen. People Who Implement Them are Priceless
Published by David Spotts,
“Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who implement them are priceless.” What a great quote by Mary Kay Ash, and so true! The world is full of incredible ideas that never go anywhere because great ideas are useless without someone full of passion to implement them.
I realize that implementing an idea can be intimidating, but taking that first step forward is the most important thing you can do to get your idea off the ground. Analyzing an idea is an important pre-step, but one of the biggest stumbling blocks people face is the temptation to over-analyze in an attempt to solve for every potential problem they might face, even if it only has a .03 percent likelihood of ever happening. Recognize that in the beginning stage of your idea there is no possible way to truly predict exactly what the future will hold because it is impossible to have every future fact you need to know. In the process of moving toward implementing your idea, variables around you will begin to change, and as they do, new facts will always be coming to light, which will help you to pivot your ideas in the right direction. Go into it knowing that your idea is going to morph and change drastically before it reaches its true fulfillment. All great ideas do, and that is what you want.
Years ago I went to meet with several large customers to see how our products were performing for them. Each shared their satisfaction with our services, but went on to share other problems they were facing, hoping that I might have a solution for them. As I met with each client and listened to their struggles, my mind began to formulate additions to our system design that were far broader in scope than my original ideas had ever been. The next thing I knew, voila, my original idea had morphed and become bigger and better than ever before. Had I not taken steps forward to implement my original idea, I would never have gotten to that moment when the original idea morphed into something genius!
As you get going, never be afraid to share your ideas with others to get feedback. As an angel investor when I ask people what feedback they have gotten from their peers on their ideas, I often get the response, “I haven’t shared it with them yet because I am too afraid someone might steal my idea.” My answer to that statement is always the same, “As an entrepreneur I always felt that if someone else out there had the initiative to take my idea and get it implemented first, then more power to them!” The reality is that most people may get excited about your idea, but very few of them would actually be willing to do all the work it would take to implement it.
Great ideas are born by the minute. At some point you have to decide to stop talking about your ideas and take the first step with enough confidence to carry you through to the next step. With each step forward new doors will open and your idea will expand. Keep your eyes and ears open and never be afraid to share your idea with others to get feedback. Ideas grow best when they are exposed to a lot of other people’s ideas and input on a regular basis. Never forget to stay passionate about your ideas. It’s that passion that will carry you through the difficult times that inevitably come along the path of implementation. Your passion will be contagious and it will draw others to you that can help you on your journey to becoming one of those priceless few who don’t just talk about it, they do it!
~Amy (follow my daily blogs at www.amyreesanderson/blog )