“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
We are all born with the gift of discernment; a talent to visualize what is obscure. Why then do we see people with incredible talent fail in achieving what their mind is capable of? The smartest amongst us who fail to throw off the bowlines and sail away from the safe harbor baffle me. They’re the intellect without persona to explore, dream, and discover possibly the greatest idea that amused their mind.
We all have our share of great ideas in the coffin, an idea that has never seen daylight. I’m intrigued to explore the psyche that works behind the death of a seemingly great idea. Let’s explore, shall we?
1. If it’s easy then it’s too good to be true
Often, great ideas are simple yet profound in nature. The person who invented the sticky pad must have felt this enigma. The best of intentions die when the desire that provoked the intention is lacking fire. Last year, I had an idea to start a GPO (Group Purchasing Organization) for the hospitality industry. The idea was simple – create an organization of hotel owners and purchase supplies to gain economy of the scale. One cliché I heard from others is that if it is so easy, why has it not been done yet? If my desire were not kindled with a firm belief, I’d have thrown a blanket over this great idea.
2. It will not work
There are ample unknowns staring at us when we throw off the bowlines. Our negative persona kicks in and takes over like a magician. We all have felt passion for a great idea suddenly taking turn for the worst. When I discussed this idea of creating a purchasing group with friends who own hotels, I expected a tidal wave of positivity and encouragement. Instead, I felt as if I was being punched square in the stomach when I heard, “Well, it won’t work.” Often we believe, either consciously or subconsciously, that staying the course is the best we can ever do. The truth can’t be any further than that.
3. It’s hard to succeed
Christopher Columbus would have never thrown off the bowlines to find this great nation called America if he entertained this cliché. I was told that the idea of a group purchase will discomfort the major players in the industry and they will send Armageddon to bury my idea. If this is how Larry Page and Sergey Brin thought then Google would not be the billion dollar success story it is today. It is our inner feebleness to explore the unknown and have courage to face the adversity that often kills a great idea.
4. I have another great idea
A great idea needs intent focus. Often, it is the persistence that manifests our intention into a reality. An intention is a process of a burning desire coupled with visualization to immerse our focus to believe that the idea has germinated into its physical equivalent. When we lack this form of intention, we tend to shift focus to another idea that’s seeking our attention. Many of my friends told me to toss this great idea to others who are the giants in the industry and work on the next great idea.
5. If they are smart, I must listen to them
How many times have you had an idea, but when you discussed it with someone you consider smart you received a negative response from him or her? It’s wise to seek advice from these smart people, but it is equally wise to discard ostensible rhetoric. The idea was yours; they have no wasted interest in making it happen. Often, they simply don’t want to leave their safe harbor to explore the unknown. It’s up to you to sail away from the safe harbor to seek and discover the greatest idea of your life time.
I consider great ideas akin to flowing a water stream that passes through our palms. If we do not act, water flows right in front of our eyes. It’s only when we move our hands, and sip that water, we feel a sense of accomplishment. Be mindful of what you have in mind today and work on it, otherwise that great idea will die a premature death.
The good news is that no one can bury a great idea without your approval. There are three elements of transmutation from a great idea to a reality – desire, faith and visualization.
1. Desire
Desire is to an idea what oxygen is to our life. Developing a burning desire with constant visualization is essential in overcoming and defeating the resistance, which is always inevitable when you embark on a great idea. Ask yourself, ” Do I truly, in my heart, desire this idea to become a reality?” Often your inner voice will be the best counsel you can ever seek.
2. Faith
Having an unrelenting faith in our desire for a great idea is akin to having gas in a car for a journey of amusement. Develop an intrepid mind that believes in gaining the idea. Ask yourself, “Do I believe that it is possible for me to convert this idea into a reality?”
3. Visualize
Visualization is to a great idea what wind is to sails. We are doomed to fall into one of those traps and to bury a great idea if we do not visualize it daily. Try to seek the benefits it can draw rather than difficulties it may cause. It will provide abundance of positivity to explore, and eventually realize, your great idea.
This guest article was written by Shilpan Patel. If you enjoyed it, please visit his blog Success Soul and subscribe to the RSS feed or email updates. Images from iStockphoto and Ronnie44052.
One additional way to bury a great idea is to not work on it at all, leaving it for someday.
Outstanding post! I certainly can attest to the power of “throwing off the bowlines.” I started my own business, which I consider to be a planned adventure. What happened afterward, however, was more powerful and certainly not planned: My newly found freedom had an unbelievably positive effect on my creativity; I did not feel the stress of the rat race anymore; and my priorities shifted from money and career-oriented pursuits to happiness and meaningful pursuits.
I believe the act of “throwing off the bowlines” is secondary to what happens after doing it, which is not something that can be planned. It is enabled…
“As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I sure like the idea of sailing away from the safe habour to dream and discover!
Great article! Will be digging it!
Evelyn
Great post Shilpan. Ideas are the seeds of our dreams so here you have the map to living the dream…
“One cliché I heard from others is that if it is so easy, why has it not been done yet?”
It amazes me when people say that. As you say, many of the greatest ideas are SIMPLE and make you think “how come I never thought about this?”
Facebook is, to me, a great example of the simplest of ideas.
Sometimes great ideas come from the failure of another idea. Supposedly someone once tried to make some kind of super glue, and it was a huge failure. The glue turned out to just be strong enough to hold a piece of paper to the wall…and Post-it notes were born. Admittedly, it sounds like an urban legend, but you get the idea!
Good eye opening post Shilpan.
I would add to this the fear of failure or the “past equals future” thinking error. We get so many great ideas (if we let ourselves), but then that little voice in our head kicks in and says, “you’ve never succeeded before, you know you’re not going to this time either.” Until we deal with that, recognize that the past does not equal the future unless we allow it to, then we will never move forward into success.
Hunter – thats 3M. They found the sticky paper useful but marketing didn’t see a market. (there wasn’t one then.) Here’s the story:
http://www.rakemag.com/reporting/features/twenty-five-years-post-it-notes-0
[...] 5 Ways to Bury a Great Idea [...]
Great article, and great replies too! Another thing that allows good ideas to be buried, especially for women, is our sense of obligation to others around us. It’s easy to put off things you’d like to do when your first instinct is to say, ‘No, can’t do that. The kids need me. I can’t follow through because it would take too much time away, etc.’
I watched my mother bury idea after idea for her own business, and die a bitter woman because she never allowed herself to realize her full potential. And it’s why I’m ever grateful to authors like Corrie Woods for writing books like The Woman’s Field Guide to Exceptional Living. It’s a great reminder that we can give ourselves permission to follow those great ideas to fruition and create an exceptional life for ourselves and our families at the same time.
Thanks again for a great post!
Thank you all for commenting on this article. My intent is to instill a firm belief that once we conceive an idea, we shall never abandon that great idea until we realize it. It’s a gift of the creator that we receive and it is up to us to make it happen. Never stop growing !
NOTE: Please do not forget to digg this article if you liked it.
Shilpan
Unfortunately there is a problem with how it was submitted to Digg that means the counters in the article aren’t updating. Here is the Digg page:
5 Ways to Bury a Great Idea
“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” – Arthur C. Clarke
Hi Shilpan,
It’s tough, isn’t it, when others shoot down what you think is a great idea. Often it works best to go forward with an idea, and not even ask others what they think. The negativity can cloud your judgment and create self doubt.
Desire, faith and visualization can be your best friends and often see an idea through.
This is a very inspiring post! Thank you for taking the time to organize it.
Everything we hold in our hands was someone’s idea that someone thought might not work. Imagine if they gave up on electricity!
I enjoyed this very much.
Thanks!
@Avni -
Thanks for the insight. I agree with you 100%.
@The FP -
Thanks for the kind words. I’ve read your story on your blog and certainly it is fascinating. When I purchased my first hotel, I was told that I didn’t have what it takes to run a hotel. I’m on to building a third now this year. No one is as interested in your future as you are. Well said.
@Evelyn -
Mark Twain is my favorite.
@ Davidya -
Great point. Ideas germinate big dreams.
@Vered -
I’ve heard that over and over again. You will find that these same people have not done much in their lives.
@Jennifer -
Absolutely true. Our worst enemy is within us. We need to overcome first.
@Hunter -
Well said my friend. All ideas are good. Some tend to give birth to some great ideas as well.
@Ruth -
I see you point about women not achieving their God given potential. It’s is very important to have great faith and keep plugging.
@Eugene -
Great quote. I love it.
@Barbara -
Often, your ideas get crucified by folks who have no vested interest in it. They have not VISUALIZE the way you have so why bother? Great point.
@Wendi -
You’ve hit nail on the head with this. Every idea that someone thought was impossible to achieve, was achieved by someone else.
Thank you all for great comments and support.
Shilpan
http://www.successsoul.com/blog/
@Davidya -
Thanks for the 3M insight.
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