Your Bright Ideas Are Useless

Don’t flatter yourself. Your ideas are not unique. There are thousands of people out there  who have the same bright  ideas as you do.

 You have this idea about a start-up business. You get excited thinking about it, unaware that there are thousands of other people who have the same start-up idea in their heads. 

You believe you have what it takes to be a  John Grisham. You have this idea about a novel, a crime-suspense thriller  that could possibly be a best-seller.  You already know how your protagonist will look,  and how to make your villain the most hateful character there is.  Guess what? There are hundreds of potential writers out there who are plotting the same story in their mind.

You are a chef-wanna be and you are now concocting this special dish in your head.You could almost taste it: the meat, the spices, the texture.  Guess what. Hundreds of other cooks and chefs have the same dish in their mind. 

You’ve got a flair for fashion, and you’ve been imagining this fabulous  gown. You have the details in your head: the material, the cut, the embellishments. But again, there are a lot of  creative people out there who are imagining a similar design.

So many people are thinking of the same or similar concept at this very moment. Thousands of humans are toying with a synonymous grand idea: an app, a screenplay, an architectural design and so many others.  

Yes, ideas are common. 

It is execution that is rare. To really do the things in your head—- that is the challenge. 

It is easy to think and dream. You can do that anytime, anywhere without risks.   But execution is much  harder. It requires the courage to talk to people and face rejection. It needs provision of resources and time.   Execution also demands disciplined  habits that need to be repeated every day, regardless of your mood. 

The one who actually opened a store is more likely to become a successful entrepreneur. The one who actually cooked the dish—-after a series of trial-and-error—  and have it sampled by customers is more likely to succeed as a chef. The person who completed  the novel—- struggling to write two hundred words a night—-  and  actually sent it to publishers, is more likely to be read by the public.The one who actually sewed the gown and displayed it on her social media account will likely be stepping up on a runway after a fashion show. 

It is not the one who thinks that succeeds. It is the one who acts.