New ideas can screw your innovation process.
Think about it: you’ve got a really clever idea you want to implement for your business, and you’ve made a great start. But then along comes a networking event or a conference, a new book or a conversation and then lo! you’ve got yourself another new and completely different idea. This new idea has allure and charm. It’s enticing and sexy.
You start flirting with this new idea, and the honeymoon with your original idea begins to fade. Then, before you know it, you’ve worked yourself into a series of ‘modern’ relationships with new ideas – quickly moving from one idea to the next, only spending time with them while it’s exciting, but never enough for there to be any meaningful progress.
This is a tricky situation to be in. As Thomas Edison once said, “Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.” New ideas actually help us avoid the 99% bit, but perspiration (effort) is exactly what we need if we want to get our ideas where they need to go – reality.
The good news is that there’s a way out. Here are some simple tips for maintaining healthy relationships with ideas:
1. Be clear on your real objectives first. Make ideas ‘apply’ for your attention by meeting your own criteria. What are your dating preferences for new ideas?
2. Break ideas down into action steps. “Idea” is often a glossy term for what can be a shirt-load of work. Turn your new idea into a real project plan, then see how sexy it really is.
3. Do more doing. The fastest way to get to know your new ideas is to put them to work. It’s survival of the fittest – any lame ideas will turn into learnings, and your best ideas may turn into real results.
4. Share your actions, not your ideas. Just talking about your ideas wont make them happen. Build accountability into the actions you need to take to make your ideas happen.
5. Treat inspiring ideas with caution. Ask yourself – does this idea really work for me, or is it just helping me avoid the 99% bit? Get ruthlessly good at prioritising your ideas.
Jason Fox
Reader Comments (1)
Love this! I have sat in too many meeting where people bring a new idea which they start each week and drop the next. Lets stop avoiding the 99%!