Turning Ideas Into Action

Turning ideas into action is hands down one of life’s most satisfying experiences.  So, why is it that taking action on your ideas is so rare?

How many times have you heard of someone who had an idea but didn’t act on it only to find out someone else had a similar thought (if not exactly the same one) and did take action on the idea. Who do you think cashes in on an idea? The one who turns the idea into action; that’s who! 

Several years ago, I was in an engaging conversation with a friend’s husband about creation and invention. After a few minutes, he excitedly chirps “well, you know I invented (this really important thing that we all use every day)!” To have him tell it he had literally changed the world. And I was right there with him. 

I said “Really?!?! That is so cool!” He went on to share his invention in-detail. We discussed in-depth how said invention had changed the world. Fifteen minutes into him sharing his story, he adds “Yeah, but someone else actually made it.” 

This was really fascinating to me. Here was a grown man who for several decades had been taking credit for an idea that he had never acted on.  While indeed this was an ingenious idea (proven by the fact that many use this invention everyday), ideas themselves don’t change the world. Turning ideas into action does.

I was married to a man that I lovingly called “my idea guy.” He had a million and one ideas. A lot of really great ideas in fact.  From Velcro to Sticky Notes, “we coulda made a million.”  The thing is that we didn’t. He never acted on any of them.

His ideas were so good but he never got out there with even one of them. Inevitably, he would learn that someone else had gotten the same or similar idea. The difference was they didn’t just think about it. They turned that idea into action and thereby exponentially increased their chances of success.

“No matter how carefully you plan your goals they will never be more than pipe dreams unless you pursue them with gusto.”

~W. Clement Stone 1902-2002, Businessman, Philanthropist and Author

See, we don’t get rewarded in life for what we could have done. We get rewarded for what we do. To be clear, I am not a proponent of action for action’s sake. Far from it. Aligned action is key in any endeavor. But in order to bring your ideas to life, action will be required.

Are you watching someone else do what you want or wanted to do? Are you denying yourself your dreams because it seems like a lot of work? Because someone has already done it? Or because you need to take the kids to school?  There’s nothing more tragic than failing because you never tried.  

If you aren’t taking action on your ideas and dreams then life is passing you by.

Carl Jung proposed the concept of the collective consciousness. In the collective consciousness theory, all ideas and possibilities are available to anyone who is open to them. This, they say, is why we often see a wave of similar concepts or ideas coming to market in the same window of time even though they may have been conceived and created completely independent of one another. But in this world, it’s the one to the finish line (doesn’t even have to be the first one) that gets all the glory. 

In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert shares a story about an idea she had for a book with an extremely unique storyline that she had been developing. During that time she met fellow author Anne Patchett. Well, fast forward, and although Liz never shared her storyline with anyone much less Anne, low and behold Anne came out with a book with almost exactly the same storyline. I don’t want to spoil it so won’t give away the full story but Liz was convinced that the idea was “transferred” to Anne upon their meeting because Liz wasn’t acting on it.

This isn’t to say that this is a race, and you are going to lose out. In fact, I’m always reminding the spiritual entrepreneurs I work closely with that they are going to have more ideas than they can act on in this lifetime. That’s precisely why alignment with your Soul is paramount when determining precisely what actions to take, which endeavors to pursue, and what business to start.

“Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand-and melting like a snowflake.”

~Sir Francis Bacon

You are here for something great. You are here to be a contribution that only you can be for the world. You are here for a divine purpose. Please don’t make the world miss out on that just because you aren’t willing to take action on your ideas and inspiration. If your dreams are worth having; than they are worth taking action on!

Turning ideas into action separates the dreamers from the doers. By not acting on your deepest dreams, desires and inspirations, you are already missing out. When we ask the questions “what is fulfillment?” we must remember it will include acting on the promptings of our Soul.

Supporting you to turn your ideas into action has been a decades long commitment here at Divine Navigation. Each year we come together in community to ensure the ideas that belong to you are brought into the world by you.