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Seeing Our Ideas Through to Completion

Today, I saw a loch that a Duke carved out in the late 1700’s to connect a seven mile away coal mine to the city center. The plaque said he invested £200,000 pounds, nearing bankruptcy, the price of coal dropped by half, but he owned the shipping channel. Years later, he was earning£70,000 pounds per year.

For the duke, his big idea worked. Like the Duke, we don’t always know if our plan will work, if it will pay off or how long it will take to catch on. Once we’re committed and we’ve already traveled half-way, invested for years, doubled-down then we should keep going and see our idea through to completion.

Why I Don’t Convert Ideas into Action

Finished Ironman CDA 2005

Thinking but not committing

If you are anything like me, I bet you spend a lot of time thinking and dreaming about starting something new.

For me it can range from an Adventure trip that I want to go on to an ebook I’ve been writing.

Ideas into action are more difficult.

There is a pattern.

But I notice a pattern when the ideas in my head swirl around but no action is produced, I know its time to assess the source of my reluctance.

Today, I am hesitating calling a desired podcast guest that I’d like to interview.

The best I can tell I am simply nervous that she will say no.

And she might.

Converting ideas to action.

1) What is stopping me from starting?

I hear that little voice in my head always taunting me.  Telling me to be realistic, safe, and reliable.

What might I hear if turned down the volume on the voice of self-protection, self-preservation and safety?

What am I really afraid of?  

Rejection?  Being a bother?  No one liking what I create?

I actually feel much better when I can hear myself say or read the words that are holding me back.

The words or emotions behind the fear seem to have less power once I say them out loud.

2) Have I written down my plan or idea?

I find that when I write down in a journal or a notepad what it is I want to begin, it becomes more tangible and attainable.

The power of seeing my ideas and words on paper in front of me further commits me to launch. When it is electronic, it’s easy to skip past it in your list of Word docs or read emails.

3) What is the worst that could happen?

I recently resigned from a leadership position that I held for almost eight years at a software division that I helped start.

I labored over the decision for years.

One of the most helpful questions for me to answer was this one.

How bad could it get?  

This is a phenomenal exercise to spend some time on.

Ask yourself this question and then write down everything bad that you could envision happening.

“I could loose my job, not have health insurance, have to live with my in-laws, and live with the shame for failing”.

It is so liberating to actually see on paper what I was afraid of.

Some of it was down right laughable.

Some of it was actually uncomfortable but still not tragic.

4) Facing the Dragons

I think you will find that staring face-to-face with your perceived dragons will liberate you.

They are not as powerful or dangerous once you identify them.

I’m going to go make that call and invite the podcast guest.

Wish me luck.

No One Cares About Your Idea as Much as You

Photo by Sara-Ji

I wish I could claim that I said it first.

I can’t.

But as soon as I heard it, I knew I’d lived it.

Mario Schulzke Founder of IdeaMensch said it first.  I met Mario at the Boulder IdeaMensch.

Mario set out to travel to the lower 48 States and hear and help spread our ideas.  His passion was to help you bring your ideas to life.

Guess what he found?

Read what he wrote this fall

Nobody cares as much about your idea as you do

I spent 10 years in corporate America. There you cared about your job, your income, your co-workers and then maybe a little bit about the company or idea you’re clocking in for every day. But when push comes to shove, there are always things more important than the company, the idea or the product.

When you’re an entrepreneur, you’re the holder of the idea. It’s your company, your product, your baby – your game to win or lose.

Being a first time entrepreneur, this is a completely new experience for me. If I have a bad day, we’ll have a bad day. If I give up, we stop.

Mario banging away at the keys from the road

Be ready to carry the vision by yourself

Thus the lesson, we had better be ready to carry the vision without the prerequisite that other people are:

  • As passionate
  • As unrelenting
  • As visionary
  • As excited
  • As optimistic
  • As supportive
  • As impatient

As you and I must be in order to succeed.

You see it is:
  • Our idea
  • Our dent in the world
  • Our idea
  • Our risk
  • Our hope
  • Our dream
  • Our future

Most people simply prefer
to be inspired by other people.

Most people don’t choose to live an inspired life.
But you are not most people.
How many people have you met who are willing to travel the 48 states by car, city-by-city hoping that people will show up at each entrepreneurial huddle?
Meet Mario Schulzke.
Can you imagine how many hotel rooms, how many couches he slept on, how many times he wondered “what the hell am I doing?”
I can.

He has met with over 1,200 Entrepreneurs, CEO’s, Artists, and the like

Ask Mario about his favorite interview?

mario@ideamensch.com

I am going to track Mario down for a Podcast interview.
I’ll let you know when I find him and what he has to say.

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