It happens to me at least once a week. I seem to conjure up ideas that I believe are pure genius! Immediately a feeling of excitement starts to fester deep within as I menatally construct the layers of my Uber-Mega-Cash Flow-Producing widget/website/business. I whip out my Blackberry and start blowing up those closest to me to inform them that I just came up with the next iPod or Google. Whether it’s my idea for a solar powered flashlight or a thought activated Google, I somewhat realized that an idea is a small fraction of what it takes to be successful in such an endeavor. I often regurgitate a quote that was once shared with me that states “the difference between dreamers and the successful is action.”
With this in mind my close friend Michael shared an exchange he found on a tech blog that rang strong:
I have the best idea for an iPhone app, well, modestly speaking, ever! So how do I sell this great idea? Is there a forum for discussing how to get an idea sold? Any help you can offer will be appreciated.
Dearest Mike,
The sad facts are these (and, I’m sorry, darling, but this is going to sound a little harsh): Ideas are cheap. Work is hard. And App Store is, I’m afraid, built on a lot of hard labor. If you really believe in your idea, you’re going to have to work out a business plan, arrange for capital, hire and oversee artists and programmers, and market that baby to success.
Absolutely no one that I’m aware of is searching for new ideas or, more importantly, is willing to pay for them. Lots of people have ideas. Many people have way too many ideas. There is just no demand, market-wise. True, the “next, best thing” may be out there, but it’s the doers, not the dreamers, that make that dream take shape.
If your idea is great — and I have no doubt that it is — it’s yours for you to grasp. Whether you program it yourself or find a way to fund its creation, there is no road but hard work in order to bring it to its realization.
As my blogging counterpart just poignantly stated, at the end of the day, the best success stories aren’t born from the most brilliant ideas but rather execution and hard work. McDonald’s isn’t the world’s largest seller of burgers because they are the best burgers or some revolutionary idea – far from. McDonald’s is the most successful because of a strong system and execution. My mom used to say “if you can dream it you can do it,” but truth be told…if you dream it will only be worth something if you actually do it.
Anonymous=Coward
Jun 23
Posted by Jorge in Uncategorized
I’m glad that people seem to be reading my stuff and posting their comments. I want everyone to know that I do welcome any and all comments and criticisms. As long as the comments are not SPAM, aren’t vulgar and have some point they will be approved. However, if you are planning on putting me on blast, I think that I should at least know who it’s from. Slamming me and calling me out on something when it comes from “anonymous” isn’t really courageous or mature, especially when the comment is fairly baseless and inaccurate.
For those who don’t know me or don’t know me very well…I am an extremely introspective individual. My second favorite past-time is analyzing others – only analyzing myself has it beat…go ahead call me egocentric. I am just following the teachings of the original Jedi Master Socrates when he said “know thyself.” I’m very well aware of my issues and I don’t deny them…ask my therapist 🙂
So please feel free to constructively criticize and give me shit. I promise you there is no one who is harder on me than ME. If you want to call me out don’t *69 me and if you want to throw stones make sure you don’t live in a glass house. Those who aren’t living in a glass houses wouldn’t have to be anonymous. Too embarrassed to post a name with your critique? Then go ahead and email me directly. We can keep it between us. Not as ballsy but still respectable. That is the true anonymous!
Tags: Comments, critical, criticism, Ego, negative