“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes time. Vision with action can change the world.”

JOEL A. BARKER

 

 

How many good ideas never see the light of day?

Every so often, you’ll be struck by a business idea that blows you away. Once it’s crossed your mind, you can’t help yourself from putting down whatever you’re doing (no matter how important!) so you can start thinking about how to turn your brainwave into something tangible, something concrete. Unfortunately, we often give up midway through this process and let the idea drift away, never to be seen again. When this happens, we’re either letting go too early or not following through, being put off by the first obstacle in our way. But sometimes, we experience a rare moment where we don’t give up, where we’ll stop at nothing to bring our seemingly brilliant idea to the next level, no matter what.

Step 1: Proof of Concept

For this, the name of the game is seeking validation from people close to us. While you might feel that it’s a bit premature, you’ll already be putting together an action plan and starting to understand the steps to take, as well. That said, there are still plenty of unknowns out there – but isn’t that true of life in general?

Step 2: Planning

Now, it’s time to think about firming things up. You need to draw up a solid action plan and get more people on board. There’s a risk of running into an obstacle you can’t overcome, but the idea will be taking shape.

Step 3: Execution

You need to carry out market validation before you start aiming for traction. The ideal way to get real validation is not always straightforward or easy, so you probably need to hunker down for the long haul.

I prefer not to focus on why most people give up at a certain stage and why the most promising ideas never see the light of day. After all, who wants to think about their glass being half empty? I think it’s better to see the glass as being half full: it’s much more interesting to understand why some individuals seem to be unstoppable at putting their ideas into practice. Why is that?

  • Are they surrounded by highly constructive, supportive people?
  • Do they have a higher degree of discipline?
  • Are they better at focusing on one topic until it’s done, without getting distracted?

If I put my own ventures under the magnifying glass and take a closer look at them, a combination of discipline and focus seems to be really helpful when it comes to making progress. At least, that’s the case at the beginning, when you want to gain that all-important momentum. However, that’s not all it takes to turn a great idea into a wonderful product or service. For me, this comes from being inspired by the people around me. Hardly any of my own ideas would have made it to the finish line if they hadn’t been actively shaped by others. This wasn’t just something I found helpful: it was something I truly needed so I could make them better and more resilient. Even though we live in the information age, there are still too many repetitive steps involved in the way we work and collaborate with others.

I use various tactics to push more of my ideas over the finishing line (and remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!). Here are some of my favourites:

  1. I make notes on most of my projects so I can keep an overview and push myself so that I don’t give up on great ideas easily. Instead, I try to shape them further and develop them into something truly amazing. I write brief comments on some of these ideas, and highlight a small group of topics to prioritise.
  2. I try to make sure that some of the people around me are involved in the early stages of the project so I can discuss the initial ideas with them. Of course, I make sure they know that these ideas are very much a work in progress – I don’t want them thinking they’re the finished article!
  3. Being in places which are truly inspiring and pique my curiosity is also a great way to stimulate and activate the right-hand side of my brain. In turn, this helps me get over any mental blocks (a sleepy, snowy village somewhere in the mountains is perfect for this, but if a sandy beach is more your thing, then you do you!).

Why aren’t you following through with your ideas? What’s stopping you from shaping them further? Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Have a great day.

All the best,
Alain