MORE THAN THE IDEA

"All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come."

Victor Hugo, 19th century French poet

True, but an idea's "time" doesn't just "come".

The success of an idea is much more the result of effort and hard work than it is the idea itself.

Don't wait for "it", make "it"!

NOT NECESSARILY

"The philosophy of one century is the common sense of the next."

Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) American politician

Not unless the root of the philosophy actually is common sense.

And it's the same with your ideas.

Just because you have them doesn't mean everyone will immediately or ultimately think they're good.

They actually have to be good.

THIS MAY BE IN BAD TASTE, HOWEVER . . .

"Taste has no system and no proofs."

Susan Sontag (1933-2004) American author

And yet we often act as those it does, as those we believe have "good taste" are some how better than those of us we believe don't.

Pablo Picasso said, "Taste is the enemy of creativeness."

I agree.

The Power Of Need Over Want

"Nothing has more strength than dire necessity."

Euripides

4th century BC Greek poet

Keep this in mind when considering the validity of your "can't miss" business idea.

Most of what we come up with will fail this test.

The more people need rather than want the better.

You Mean I Have To Be At Least One Of These?

"Your manuscript is both good and original. But the parts that are good are not original and the parts that are original are not good."

Samuel Johnson

18th century British author

True in business as well.

Companies, products, and even people, only succeed long-term by being at least one of these things, if not both.

The Eye Of The Beholder

"Nothing is beautiful from every point of view."

Horace

1st century BC Latin poet

Think about this the next time you have an idea you are certain all your co-workers will just love.

Dreams Grounded In Reality

"The true ideal is not opposed to the real but lies within it; and blessed are the eyes that find it."

James Russell Lowell

19th century American poet

Mr. Lowell tells us that there must be a link between our ideas and reality; that one without the other is the same as if neither existed.

Dream, but at some point live in reality as well.

Art Is Where You Find It

"A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind."

Eugene Ionesco

20th century Romanian born French playwright

Since all great ideas begin in the mind, doesn't this definition also apply to business?

And if it does, does that not also mean that great business ideas are also art?

What did Guy Kawasaki call his book?  "The Art of the Start"

The Power Of We

"Don't surround yourself with yourself."

"I've Seen All Good People"

Yes

Late 1960's British rock group

Great business advice on every level imaginable.

Listening primarily, or worse, exclusively to yourself, will only serve to reinforce what you believe, and no matter how good you are, you are probably wrong as much as the rest of us.

"We" will invariably find the better way, sooner and more often than "I" ever will.

Great Idea? You And Everybody Else

"Ideas are a capital that bears interest only in the hands of talent."

Antoine Rivarol

18th century French writer

Let me be more blunt.

Good ideas are a dime a dozen, worth very little if not backed with a well considered plan.

Whether it be your personal or professional life, no plan, little chance of success.

Good Ideas From Any Source

"Absurdity. A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion."

Ambrose Pierce
19th century American newspaper man/author

As are so many good quotes, a slight exaggeration, but the point is still made.

We do tend to discount things we don't ourselves believe. But the hallmark of any good leader is finding the best, no matter how different from what they believe.

How good at that are you?

Ideas: Think of Something, Do Something!

"Ideas won't keep. Something must be done about them."

Alfred North Whitehead
Early 20 century English Mathematician/Philosopher

Ideas are about the future and without them, you don't have much of one.

But without action, ideas are worth nothing.

How is your company when it comes to coming up with new ideas and of greater importance, acting on them?

The Power of Reinvention

"You'll find boredom when there is the absence of a good idea."

Earl Nightingale
Commentator

Your customers will be bored, your employees, you; literally everyone in anyway connected with your business.

But this is not limited to your product or service. Good ideas positively affect everything.

In addition to everything else you must do, do you consciously work to create new ideas?

What Do You Have To Say?

"The art of communication is the language of leadership."

James Humes
Former Trial Lawyer, Author, Presidential Speech Writer

Which is more important?

Great ideas with mediocre ability to communicate them to others, or the reverse?

Regardless of importance, which would you rather have?

Planning: The Path Through the Forest

"You are surrounded by simple, obvious solutions that can dramatically increase your income, power, influence and success. The problem is, you just don't see them."

Jay Abraham
Consultant

There is no shortage of good ideas in most of the companies I work with; but there are barriers preventing management from clearly seeing which are worth pursuing made worse by a lack of planning to determine the best course of action. Address these problems and the forest path becomes clear.

Funding: What It Takes

"Our greatest lack is not money for any undertaking but rather ideas. If the ideas are good, cash will somehow flow to where it is needed.

Robert Schuller

I doubt that Dr. Schuller would see his ministry as a business but in many ways I think it is; one possible exception being when it comes to raising money. In my experience for that to happen three conditions must be met in the following order:

1. Solid management
   
2. A detailed plan
3. A good idea

Without the first two, no pennies from heaven.