THE BIG IDEA

At most of our G.I.S.T [Great Ideas for Starting Things – an acronym Guy Kawasaki created] sessions, I am often asked the Very Good Question. “How do I find an idea/plan? How do I discover what I was ‘Meant To Do’?”

Like I said, A Good Question. Which I can’t answer...

“What?! What kind of consultant are you?”

Consider this; have you ever felt like you were meant to do something MAJOR on this planet? You have? Good for you...

“What about the rest of us who have No Idea At All?”

How do you find that One Big Idea? Good Question, especially now that you are sick of all these motivational speakers and all these ‘secrets of success’. As a matter of fact they can keep their secrets!!! And those seminars are so empty of content that the only thing you’re motivated to do is throw up...

“Details! Details man! Give Us Specifics! Okay we’re blank – we have NO plans. We’ve suppressed our dreams so much that we’ve lost them. YOU know so much Mr. Speaker, so go ahead and give us a dream. Go ahead, roll up your sleeves and deliver to each of us that custom made built-just-for-us One Big Idea!”

Paradox

Know what that means? Paradox = ‘a statement containing two OPPOSITE ideas that make it seem impossible or unlikely, although it is probably true’

That’s what that request is – and I get it all the time.

Let me clarify something; I am NOT a ‘motivational speaker’

I don’t speak to motivate you. My goal is to motivate you to speak. To stand up to, for and to be yourself.

I cannot give you your idea. That’d be cheating. I could shrink-wrap an idea and put it in your hands already ‘pre-cooked’ – but what good does that do you? How have I helped you?

You will NEVER hear me say anything about ‘success’.

I DON’T teach or preach ‘success’

I preach self discovery. We teach EVOLUTION

So, back to the basics. Back to the One Big Idea. There are some of us who have a plan already. One that we think just might be the Big One. But how do you know for sure?

You Don’t

“Say what?”

I said, You Don’t...

Nobody can tell you if what you’re doing is good, meaningful or worthwhile. The more compelling the path, the lonelier it is...

So naturally you ask yourself, if and when you finally come up with The Big Idea after years of toil, struggle and doubt, how do you know whether or not it is ‘The One’

Answer = You don’t

There is no ‘glorious swelling of existential triumph’. That’s not what happens.

All you get is a rather kvetchy voice inside you that seems to say;
“This is totally stupid. This is utterly moronic. This is a complete waste of time. I’m going to do it anyway”

And you go do it anyway...

Hugh MacLeod

Very Good Answer

Obviously this article was inspired by the above quote and the numerous people who have asked me that question over the years

Well that’s my answer and you heard it here first. I cannot sit here and tell you that I know what your future holds. I can’t tell if you are on the right or wrong path...

That is for you to know.

If the path leads to places that you don’t expect or particularly like – well, what did you learn from it? Experience has been defined as what you get whenever you don’t get exactly what you wanted...

And if the path takes you where you should go?

That’s for all of us to find out, and marvel at...

So here’s One Big Idea; To Do Everything [or attempt to] is way, WAY better than To Do Nothing.

Doing Something Right Now is even better. Much better.

Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits
Henry Ford

So quit using Waiting for the Big Idea as an excuse for your Analysis Paralysis. Do something! Right Now!

If you don’t have a Big Idea, FORGET the Big Idea! Focus on the multitude of Smaller Ones all around you and do whatever you can. Do the utmost you can

Right Now!!!

If you already have a plan – make a vow starting now...to Never Ever Again Talk About It.

Start doing!

Don’t hesitate, CREATE!

Sure you’re not ready, sure you’ll probably fall on your face – but that’s how we learn

That’s how we prepare to turn the world upside down when the time is right. And the time is right...

RIGHT NOW!!



Victor Sanchez Aghahowa