TRANSFORMING YOUR IDEAS TO REALITY
How many times have you
been in a meeting and someone says to you, “That’s a great idea, you should
take the initiative and make it a reality.” What typically happens? Most of the
time – NOTHING!!!
Most great ideas remain
dormant because people don’t have the courage, time and resources /or money to
take action. And for those who take action, most are unprepared and thus find
themselves spending their valuable time and money on a dream that simply goes
astray.
Converting an idea into a reality (regardless of the required
investment of time and money) is never an easy task. In fact, it is extremely
difficult. Whether you are an entrepreneur or corporate executive, “giving
ideas life” is much like giving birth to a child. You must own the
responsibility regardless of the circumstances. No one will ever understand
your idea or the dynamics associated with it like you do. In this regard, you
are on your own and the journey will require you to learn about yourself.
As the old saying goes, “If
it were easy – everyone would do it.”
Many articles have been
written about this subject, but I have yet to read one that really digs deep
enough to help one truly understand what is required mentality, physically and
intellectually to go from idea to reality. Perhaps it’s because the process of
cultivating an idea into a reality is a never ending cycle if you want to keep
the idea alive over changing times.
Today’s fiercely
competitive marketplace requires us all to either convert our own ideas – or be
a part of converting someone else’s ideas – into a reality. If you are not
participating in either of these activities, you must re-evaluate your purpose,
what you stand for and your desire to be relevant. Everyone must be a part of
cultivating innovation around the clock. You must begin to accept that
embracing the entrepreneurial attitude is a requirement to cultivate growth and
opportunity for the organization you lead and serve.
Entrepreneurship is no longer
just a business term anymore; it’s a way of life. You don’t need to be an
entrepreneur to be entrepreneurial.
Did you ever think that not
being involved in innovative activities was irresponsible? Well, it is – not
just to yourself, but to those around you.
As you think about how you can begin to embrace the
entrepreneurial attitude more actively, here are 12 things you must actively do
– at all times – in order to convert ideas into reality:
1. Believe in yourself
You can’t take action until you believe in yourself enough to
handle the consequences of your decisions. Any time you assume the
responsibility to give something that had not existed before an opportunity to
become a reality, you become accountable for your actions.
Accountability requires believing in yourself enough to be 100%
dedicated to getting the work done. Most people fail to take an idea to
fruition because the unexpected challenges become more than they think they can
handle and thus they no longer want to be accountable. They lose the belief in
themselves to see things through all the way to the end.
2. Create your own
personal board of advisors
Learn from those who have done it before. Don’t ever think you
have all of the answers, just because it’s your idea. Ideation is distinctly
different than execution.
Allow your personal board
of advisors to guide you with wisdom born from their own failures and
subsequent successes. I talked to a couple of fellow entrepreneurs about this
and they offered some of their own wisdom.
The key point is “If you want
to be a successful entrepreneur, listen to everyone because you never know when
you will hear a good idea”. Advice from stakeholders is usually more
meaningful, but not necessarily right. Few people will have enough contexts to
fully understand what you’re trying to do. Synthesize their comments so they
make sense to you, understand the thinking behind any negative comments, and
then make the decision on your own.”
Brad Lea, Founder & CEO
of Lightspeed VT, adds: “Although it is valuable to have a personal board of
advisors, be careful not to let them deter you from your vision. Steve Jobs’
board said he was “crazy” to enter into the cell phone space because it was
saturated and it would not be worth the long and laborious effort.”
In the end, carefully evaluate any input that you get but proceed
with your gut instinct.
3. Embrace risk as your
best friend
Risk becomes your best friend when you give birth to an idea. If you can accept this fact, you
will approach the process with a lens that keeps your dreams and ambitions in
perspective and on track. When things don’t go as planned along the way, stay
focused on the mission at hand and do not allow disruption to set you backward.
Risk is normal and steps #1 and #2 will keep you looking forward.
You often hear that “working hard” is an imperative to convert
ideas into reality. But in fact, it is the most fundamental commitment one must
make to assume any form of risk management. As such, you must find a way to
make this level of commitment if you want to continue on the journey.
4. Be extremely patient
Compromise is a choice, not a sacrifice. Don’t put too much
pressure on yourself. Take the time to appreciate the journey and understand
how things work. Most people are too anxious to get their desired results and
thus start to make bad decisions as they go.
One thing is certain: the journey will be filled with unexpected
outcomes that you may not be prepared to deal with. Don’t let this get you
down, but keep your head up and respect the process and where it takes you. You
will learn a lot about your threshold of risk and ability. Equally, you will
learn that doubters are ready to stand in your way and may attempt to bring you
down, this is when the ride gets uncomfortable. Constantly re-evaluate those
with whom you are sharing the journey (i.e., your inner circle).
5. Learn how to sell your
vision
Converting your idea to a reality requires you to help others
understand your vision. Selling vision is much like selling change. Clearly
define your value proposition and how it can generate revenue. Selling lofty
ideas without understanding how it will achieve financial results will never
get you the right audience. The bottom line is what gets everyone’s attention
to what you are doing.
Simplicity is the key to
selling the vision for your idea. Making it easy for someone on the “outside”
to understand what you are trying to accomplish will create engagement and
increase your probability of expanding buy-in for your idea. This skill comes
into play when selling to possible investors. Learn how to sell your vision
sooner than later. Don’t wait as it takes time to piece together and refine
your message.
6. Connect the dots along
the way
Everything is connected to something
else. Learn how to spot the paths of connectivity along the journey.
What may be your “core idea” today can mature into something bigger as
you connect other tenets that naturally associate with your idea along the way.
Never stop connecting the dots!
7. Be Passionate with your
Pursuit
The pursuit of excellence requires you
to unleash your passion. When you put your passion into everything you do, it gives you the
power to become a potent pioneer. You will blaze paths few would go down, and
see them all the way through to the end. Your passionate pursuit of converting
your idea into a reality will open new doors to endless possibilities.Your
ability to remain passionate about what you stand for is the ultimate enabler
for the success of your idea.
8. Be Purposeful
Your intentions for your
idea must have purpose and meaning. If not, your probability to quit along the
way will increase. It will also increase the likelihood of you “psyching
yourself out with unnecessary excuses.”
Rich Melcombe adds:
“Entrepreneurs must have passion and believe in what they are doing or they are
destined to fail. You need to make a commitment to yourself and have a
fiduciary responsibility to anyone who supports your idea or concept. Your
purpose is to execute the idea and make others believe too.”
Purpose fuels your passion and makes your journey less lonely.
Perhaps this explains why family controlled firms outperform their public peers
by 60% on company market value.
9. Focus on Building
Momentum
Carefully identify all of your resources and build upon them via
relationships, networking and sharing of resources to expand the opportunity
for your ideas. Building momentum is critically important to convert your idea
into a reality.
Stay focused, stick to your
plan, eliminate distractions and neutralize the noise. Remember to manage your
time wisely and never get overly excited about new opportunities that stem from
your original idea. Step-back, don’t commit too quickly, and understand how the
dots connect.
Building momentum has a lot
to do with timing and the management and deployment of resources. Every
resource counts. Know when and when not to use them so their value is optimally
utilized at the right place and time.
10. Always make the idea better
Never grow complacent. You
can always expand upon your idea and make it better. When you begin to see how
the dots connect, challenge yourself and your personal board of advisors to
make your ideas even better.
This is what Steve Jobs did with Apple, Pixar Animation and
Apple again. Continuous improvements were part of his legacy. He never stopped
thinking of ways to make his ideas better.
11. Make Work/Life Balance a Priority
No matter how smart, passionate, or focused you work, without
balance we are all susceptible to burn-out. Mind, body and soul must be
properly aligned. Take the time to make work/life balance a priority. It will
give you greater clarity of thought and help you keep things in perspective.
Successfully converting an idea into a reality is a marathon, not
a sprint. Pace yourself so that you can reflect upon the mission at hand.
Always be aware of what you are attempting to accomplish. Don’t overwhelm your
mind; give yourself some breathing room and allow your creativity to expand.
12. Build a legacy around your idea
Let’s say you made the
commitment to assume the responsibilities associated with the first 11 steps
and have already been successful. Your original idea was born and its impact
has now morphed into multiple areas that you would have never thought possible
at the beginning.
You have “earned your serendipity” and the opportunities you have
created for yourself and others have been momentous. The success of your idea
is now real; it has become something more significant and it is up to you to
make sure its legacy remains sustainable.
Once you give your idea its
life, it is your responsibility that its impact stays alive forever.
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