In the case of some people, good ideas may only come once in a lifetime. But if that idea will be the next Google, one idea is enough to set you for life and build a legacy you would be proud of. In some cases, good ideas come and go in a matter of seconds and the problem is that you hesitate to capture those thoughts. Maybe you’ve already thought about the next best idea that will define your product or service and increase sales. This, in turn, could take your company one step closer to the big boys’ table. However, if you don’t capitalize on these ideas they’re pretty much worthless.
Regardless of the education levels and the place where come from, all of us have innovative and awesome ideas. The problem arises when you are overwhelmed and distracted by the hustle of life and letting it get in your way. This will interrupt their ability to transform their ideas into reality, thus translating into a solid revenue stream.
Maybe you won’t come up with the cure for cancer, or maybe you will, but consider the following: all the objects we use on a daily basis were once only an idea in someone’s mind. While not all ideas will be worth billions of dollars, some of them may change the course of your business and prolong its life.
A day will always be comprised of 24 hours for everyone. Just ponder upon how many ideas have crossed your mind during your life but you decided not to act on them. Therefore, we can state that value without initiative is pretty much worthless. Another reason why we should capture ideas is because, some of them usually don’t come to us when we’re at the office.
Here are three necessary steps you should take on a daily basis:
Ensure you have a system. In my opinion, the best way to frequently capture ideas is to approach the situation in a systematic manner. We all have a particular way of doing things and while some of us prefer the new technology, some may prefer the good old-fashioned pen and paper.
Regardless of the method you choose, select whichever fits you best and stick to it. For example, I am part of the latter category. Call me old-fashioned but it’s just how I work best. At the end of the day I look upon the ideas and analyze them carefully. After tapping in a little deeper, I usually transfer the ideas I should act on immediately or in the near future in a special journal that is comprised only of ideas.
Select only the good ideas. Just because you started capturing your ideas and thoughts, this doesn’t mean that every tiny idea will turn into something great or that I should act on it. Allow yourself the necessary time to analyze the ideas the day you write them down in the journal. This will allow you to correctly assess whether an idea is worthy of your precious time. Whatever proves to be useless, throw it out.
Make sure this becomes a habit. As in the case of all habits, developing and adopting a new habit will take time. I honestly believe that if you make an effort to capture your ideas regularly, this will offer amazing benefits both in your personal and professional life.
All the men and women I came I’ve had the fortune to meet and work with, they all knew how important it was to keep track of their thoughts and ideas.
