Are You Making Ideas Happen Or Just Making Ideas?

I was recently provided with a new book to read and review, and it is called Making Ideas Happen, and it was written by Scott Belsky. I like its title and cover design. Regarding the cover design, there is a jigsaw texture throughout it, and I would describe it more, but you can see it in the image.

The book does a lot to discuss ideas and their execution. One good thing about a book such as this is that it reminds you of one idea or another that you have yet to implement, and makes you think about why you have not done so, with time passing by. Scientists and entrepreneurs and public figures have become our role models by taking an idea or two all the way through to execution. There is no reason we can’t do the same.

Taking An Idea To Completion

A section of the book about execution has one part about completion, which discusses what Seth Godin does to do well. Godin mentions that every time we are about to release something we have produced, or ship it, “the lizard brain speaks up” and makes us doubt what we are doing, making shipping the good idea not occur.

This is quite important. Between two people, one who is a perfectionist, and one who ignores that internal resistance to releasing their creation, the latter will have the most success. If Jay-Z was nervous enough about releasing his lyrics to the world that he chose to not produce so many songs, he would not be the superstar he is today. The same is true with the person who has an efficiency idea at a computer company. A bunch of ideas are what I would call “lost ideas”, as they are held by the people who had them, and the world won’t get to see them implemented or even mentioned.

Taking whatever you are doing to completion is the main goal. I once read a quote that said that 49 out of 50 things that are started aren’t completed. That might be a high estimate, but it does make you think of how many things you start and then stop part-way through because of fear of the results or outcome.

Team Accomplishment

There is a great message in the section called “Harnessing The Forces Around You” that says “If you work in isolation as a Dreamer, your ideas will swiftly come and go without accountability and stimulation from others.” I agree with this. Idea implementation doesn’t work well at all if we remain in a social vacuum. Whatever our idea is, in some regard, it involves others, so not including them along the way, or in the final creation, disregards their presence. It is like planting a tree and ignoring the need for nutrient-rich soil, ample sunlight, adequate watering, and so on. Others are always a part of the equation, so they should always be a part of your equation.

Sharing Idea Ownership

One other section of the book discusses sharing ownership of your ideas. It mentions that “people only obsess about ideas when they feel a sense of ownership.” Only the smartest and internally strongest individuals are the ones who give away some of the control of some of their ideas. It takes a smart person to realize that an idea is way more likely to be implemented when multiple people are also on board, and that the best way to get others on board is to give them some ownership of it or position of power related to it. Most are too selfish to give away any control, and so ideas are squandered in that way as well.

The ideas you have are the only ones you have to work with. Make one or two of them happen, and you can really impress others, or have a large impact.

Tagged as: accomplishment, book review, ideas, making ideas happen, ownership