From Idea to Implementation

Is it just me, or do you ever find yourself waxing eloquent on some subject only to hear at the end, the sound of slipping record needle, rrrrrrzz, instead of the climatic wwwaaaaahh of earth-shaking enlightenment?

You know, that rousing, emotional oratory where you find your heart pounding and you're ready to jump all in?

"Never, never, never give up!"

I'm sold, Mr. Churchill. Where do I go to opt in for your email list? I want to receive weekly newsletters reminding me to persevere. To stay the course. To keep my head up and press on.

Wait.

One second.

How??? Now that you've sold me on the importance of something, what's the next step?  

Guys, that's me. On both sides. Just ask my children if I wax eloquent on things I'm passionate about.

If only we'd recorded some of my speeches, I'm sure we'd find a few nuggets of gold which we'd then go to one of those artsy websites and find an emotive background, put my quote in some italicized script, and post it on social media where it'd inspire greatness in the masses.

Then again, my children will tell you that for all my eloquence, too often I fail to make my points actionable. They listen respectfully, smile, and go back to whatever they were doing before I felt it my duty to share my flash of insight with them.

{sigh}

This is why I believe in the inestimable value of truth-telling friends, mentors, and coaches. How often I've found myself at the end of what I felt was one of my more brilliant discourses, [I know. Right?], when the person across from me responded with, "Huh. How does that work? Can you make that practical?"

Then it's my turn. "Huh?"

If this is you, I have actionable counsel for you.

Write in a journal. Invest in a coach or a counselor. Take a mentor to coffee. Surround yourself with truth-tellers. Get accountability.

The act of writing down thoughts and speaking our ideas out loud to someone who gives honest feedback, is a great way to find out whether we're simply inspiring others, (which is awesome, too), or helping them transform their lives. There's nothing like being asked questions which lead to breakthroughs. People who brainstorm strategies and plans with you. It's remarkable.

It's how to move from an idea to the actual event or thing worth making a remark about.

For me, right now, it's writing a book... and my brilliant editor who writes in the margin next to an entire section where I've described in beautiful, poetic, epic literary composition, "What's your point? This doesn't connect or tie together. Try figuring out what you were trying to say." [cue record needle slipping]

It's taking all those ideas on sticky notes and sheets of paper and dry-erase inspirations on window and turning them into something that might actually help others.

And, yes, I'm unimaginably grateful for the feedback.  

What about you? What ideas do you need to take action on? Art, a project, a conversation, or something else that you've been talking about but not starting?

Who do you need to get help from to form a plan, a strategy? And accountability?

The world needs your brilliance.

Leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear what you're working on.