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Have a good idea? Keep it to yourself.

by JohnnyPlan
12 replies
One of the things that I've noticed about my own life is that whenever I have a brilliant brainstorm idea of some kind, it will typically go nowhere if I share it with even one other person? I don't know why this happens, though maybe it has more to do with 'putting your money where your mouth is' as in taking action before speaking words. Maybe, by giving actual voice to the idea, there's no real need to follow up or develop the idea. Most times, after talking with even one other person about my 'idea', I don't feel that initial excitement so the idea fizzles and gets back-burnered. Do you see where I'm going with that? The steam is taken out of the idea and any initial momentum is taken away. Conversely, if I keep the idea to myself and secretly work on it, making concrete steps before sharing with friends and family (as in showing end result rather than merely sharing an idea), then the results are usually favorable. Really, this concept applies to everything I do, whether business or personal related. Just wanted to share that as it's something I find to be true in my own life. If I were going to give advice to anyone, just take a step or action in a direction when you get that idea, don't put it up for committee vote. Make a stand, go in a direction, make a decision. If the idea is really worth pursuing, then it will pan out. Don't waste your initial momentum on conversation and hashing out the details with another person (unless that person is your business partner or banker who is funding you).
#good #idea
  • Profile picture of the author walterwombat
    I agree.

    This is especially the case with a long term project and your family and friends don't really get that a long-term project means that you may not get results tomorrow. I do share my ideas but only with a friend and one relative who I trust will not input any negative.

    However, I'm sure if I told others, they would ask how that internet marketing thingy is going every time they see me. Then you feel you have to explain yourself to someone who looks as if he or she doesn't believe a word you are saying. It will feel negative.

    Few ideas are 100% guaranteed in terms of results. That is the other thing a lot of people don't understand. If something doesn't work and it's a good idea, often changing a variable or 2 can make it work. A lot of people I know would view a first attempt as a failure, when it could be the first step towards success. Again, if you try and explain that to some people, they would look at you as if they don't believe you. You don't need negativity in this business.
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  • Profile picture of the author Odahh
    if you have an idea about 5 million other people had the idea about the same time.. a few hundred or a few thousand may starte working on it..but maybe 1 person will beat a few or a few dozen.

    quite possibly when you tell someone else your idea ..it may be because you don't intend to work on it..but feel the need to pass the idea on .

    then the ideas you don't mention to anyone are the ones that hit your creative nerve and tell you ..yeah i can do this .

    by telling someone else..you mat be doing the equivilent of erasing the chalk board waiting for the next idea .

    now you do hit on the other thing..that the people you may have to tell are those who will help you get it done ..

    so idea you tell anyone else about who probably have no way to help you do it.. don't get done

    ideas you enlist those whos help you need to get done.. get done or at least have progress made on them.

    but i ask do you feel some of the ideas you get done .. may not have happend if you didn't have the ideas that went no where
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    • Profile picture of the author jbelt999
      Great that you discovered what works for you!
      Frankly, I feel this is not a universal rule.. It depends on the idea, and it depends on who you're telling. Some ideas need clarification, which means you discuss them with experts in the applicable field for advice. Some ideas are broad and your competence may not cover its multiple facets, there you need to collaborate.
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  • Profile picture of the author mspillman
    Perhaps it is more a case of sharing the idea and plans prematurely. You kind of referred to that idea by talking about waiting until you have worked on the project some before sharing your thoughts.
    Sharing our plans prematurely does put a lot of pressure to perform and, as others mentioned, many don't understand that results rarely come "overnight". Too, it becomes difficult to feel confident in addressing those that do continually ask, "How's that internet thing going" as was mentioned earlier as well.
    It is kind of hard to keep things to ourselves when we get excited though, right?
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  • Profile picture of the author AlyseS
    I have never thought about it, but now that I have, I find this to be true. For me it doesn't matter who I tell whether they are super supportive or kind of negative.

    Once I tell someone, it's like letting the air out of the balloon for me. I still continue to work on my ideas, but that initial excitement is gone.

    I'm going to try and be more careful about this in the future. I really love feeling that initial spark and keeping it going for as long as possible.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
    Originally Posted by JohnnyPlan View Post

    One of the things that I've noticed about my own life is that whenever I have a brilliant brainstorm idea of some kind, it will typically go nowhere if I share it with even one other person? I don't know why this happens, though maybe it has more to do with 'putting your money where your mouth is' as in taking action before speaking words. Maybe, by giving actual voice to the idea, there's no real need to follow up or develop the idea. Most times, after talking with even one other person about my 'idea', I don't feel that initial excitement so the idea fizzles and gets back-burnered. Do you see where I'm going with that? The steam is taken out of the idea and any initial momentum is taken away. Conversely, if I keep the idea to myself and secretly work on it, making concrete steps before sharing with friends and family (as in showing end result rather than merely sharing an idea), then the results are usually favorable. Really, this concept applies to everything I do, whether business or personal related. Just wanted to share that as it's something I find to be true in my own life. If I were going to give advice to anyone, just take a step or action in a direction when you get that idea, don't put it up for committee vote. Make a stand, go in a direction, make a decision. If the idea is really worth pursuing, then it will pan out. Don't waste your initial momentum on conversation and hashing out the details with another person (unless that person is your business partner or banker who is funding you).
    Johnny, PLEASE learn to use paragraphs! Your messages are getting lost in massive slabs of text. Not good.

    To your topic I would add; sure, don't go telling the whole world because yes, that does feel like accomplishment and will satiate your excitment but good ideas must and should be shared with people who can help you achieve them.

    I'd be nowhere if I kept all my good ideas to myself. No one is an island, we all need help and without sharing your ideas with people who can help you, you increase the odds of failing to have the come to fruition.
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    • Profile picture of the author Marbeloa
      I agree with Mr Bill. When you share an idea, you invite others to help contribute to your dream. Even bouncing an idea off someone and verbalising something out loud is a way of truly testing the validity of the concept. If someone gets really excited about it, it can be like the match to your firework.

      Keeping ideas to yourself, by definition, leads to failure. You have to share it at some point, even if it is to your first customer or guinea pig.

      I think the bigger idea is that most people are so paranoid that someone will steal their idea. Part of what I do is coach musicians in becoming successful. I once heard someone say they didn't want to release a single because they were worried it would end up on the file-sharing sites... Where do you go from there?
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    • Profile picture of the author C G
      Originally Posted by Mr Bill View Post

      Johnny, PLEASE learn to use paragraphs! Your messages are getting lost in massive slabs of text. Not good.

      To your topic I would add; sure, don't go telling the whole world because yes, that does feel like accomplishment and will satiate your excitment but good ideas must and should be shared with people who can help you achieve them.

      I'd be nowhere if I kept all my good ideas to myself. No one is an island, we all need help and without sharing your ideas with people who can help you, you increase the odds of failing to have the come to fruition.
      Agree.

      I also believe that we should share our ideas. It creates accountability and other people can also help us in refining our ideas.

      Cheers,

      C.G.
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  • Profile picture of the author Vincent Joseph
    I have such a hard time with this! I always announce a success without accomplishing it first! I guess I have an inflated sense of accomplish sometimes!!!
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    • Profile picture of the author mspillman
      Originally Posted by Vincent Joseph View Post

      I have such a hard time with this! I always announce a success without accomplishing it first! I guess I have an inflated sense of accomplish sometimes!!!
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      Maybe it's more that you, like a lot of us, get get "over-excited" about our plans and we just find it hard to keep to ourselves!
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      • Profile picture of the author feeosh
        I love the fact that everyone is so different.

        I'm the complete opposite and more like jbelt999. Most ideas I have, once I've got it straight in my own head, I will then talk to someone about it. Not only do I get some good feedback, (I make sure the person I talk to is someone I respect), but it also motivates me to actually do something about it.

        I don't like the thought of my chosen person thinking that I'm procrastinating! or that I'm just full of ideas that don't get done ...... but, that's just me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Waywardaussie
    I totally agree when ever I get an idea I would keep it to myself and to make that idea happen. Like you said when I share am idea 9/10 it won't happen or be successful, but the chances are a lot higher if I keep it to myself and when it is a successful idea that's when I tell good friends about it and bloat a bit :-)
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