There’s an idea that excites you. It comes to mind now and again, and you can’t help but ponder the possibility. Could this ever be real?
Maybe it’s an idea you’re already living – but it doesn’t feel full yet. Maybe you’re afraid to fully share the idea, or maybe you’ve tried – and people just don’t get it. They don’t get you. It doesn’t make sense.
Don’t worry, this isn’t a lost cause. The truth is, truly defining an idea and making it come to life is a ginormous process.
MISCONCEPTION: An idea is born overnight.
While it’s common that we represent our ideas with light bulbs, nurturing and idea is not as simple as switching a light on and off.
We need to understand: Why did this lightbulb turn on?
You need to turn on the light and paint the room. Hang decor. Bring in the furniture. To do all of this, you need to understand the foundational purpose of the room. Would you put a toilet in the kitchen? I didn’t think so!
Before we can turn our ideas into something big for the world, we need to fully define it for ourselves. Why does this idea exist? This gives us a reason to come to this idea every day, to work on it and nurture it. It provides motivation to us as individuals in our personal lives, and also as professionals in our business lives and careers.
Tips to start defining your idea
- Start with individual purpose: Any worthwhile idea comes from a person who knows the worth while behind it. This is to say, if you don’t know a lot about who you are as a person you’re going to constantly feel lost in your ideas. Start learning more about yourself, and activate your sense of purpose – something bigger than you is at work here.
- Understand your motivation: When this idea comes to life, why will it matter? What is the end result you desire, from this idea? What will it do, change, impact?
- To whom does this matter? Who are the people that this idea will influence? Understand the person you’re impacting with your idea, and uncover additional secrets about it’s why.
P.S. This is what we do with business leaders, entrepreneurs and nonprofit professionals on a regular basis – and we feel so fortunate to fulfill our purpose through it. We’re creating a ripple effect that enables our people to do good in the world, and we love it <3
