When an idea starts it keeps you awake all night. It gets your mind thinking in all directions yet it has clear focused center – the seed, the core – of the idea. The reason behind the idea, the real inspiration beyond the money or success, the spirit of the idea is very clear in your heart at this stage.
What happens next is usually nothing short of tragedy. Then we start thinking and stop feeling. We start analyzing and stop creating. We start making business plans rather than solving business problems. We forget that when we plant a seed nothing much appears to happen for a while and if we starting digging the ground to see how the seed was germinating we risk hurting the potential of the seed. Ideas are no different than seeds in that sense. They take time to germinate and turn into plants. in the meanwhile we really shouldn’t be messing with the ground but be watering the seed with water.
Where there is a powerful idea, there are either critics or many well wishing advisors. After all the idea has touched their hearts and they really want to help! So how do we take their help and not get lost in a sea of feedback. After all, a sure fire way to kill any idea is to listen all the criticism and advice you get.
When all this is floating around you, just remember the seed. Remember how you felt when the original idea came to you. What was the core, why were you excited in the first place. Don’t give in to practicalities conveniently or please all or even please then current experts.
Your only god is the ‘Original Idea’. Now go figure out how to make your original idea work with all the constraints and naysaying thats around you.
Yes..
How to stay with the seed and listen to it..
To sense how ‘it’wants to sprout.
To be able to discern .. what is the wisdom in the criticism and the bathwater in the appreciation if any.
When we see both sides- whats healthy and unhealthy in criticism and praise we come in touch with the truth.
And then our ‘job’ is to just allow it to sing thru us.
I could completely relate to this post! I have been on both sides manytimes 🙂