Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Idea never fails, its the people who fail an idea

These last few months have exposed me to a number of great ideas, a huge number of creative people. Many are doing really well but many not so. Why?

"Ideas seldom lose the potential , its the people who break their promise to that idea. Most times its will power which fails, other times its weak values."

I haven't found any other reason so far, have you?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bang on target Rajeev...there cannot be any other reason..

Anonymous said...

Bang on target Rajeev... There cannot be any other reason..

Anonymous said...

There are a few more reasons that I believe why ideas fail (not ideas, really, but their implementations).

People believe too much in the value of the idea itself - so much so that for them the idea is an asset in itself.

I, personally, don't believe in what I'd like to call the "idea economy". For
me ideas don't make as much sense as their implementation and the entire process of doing so.

Additionally - an idea (or an implementation) that can't be shared is not worth spending time and effort on. The idea should benefit others as well and that can only happen if it is shared equitably. Just like knowledge grows by sharing, the values of our ideas (and their implementations) also grows when we share them.

Here is what Doc Searls has to say about ideas (and I like quote this very often since I really believe in it):

Ten ideas about ideas
http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1000119

1. Ideas aren’t physical. Regardless of the legalities, treating ideas as possessions insults their vast combustive power. Jefferson put it best:

The moment [an idea] is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of everyone, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.

2. Ideas aren’t worth jack unless other people can put them to use.

3. Ideas won’t change the world unless others can improve on them.

4. Ideas grow by participation, not isolation.

5. Ideas change as they grow. Their core remains the same, but their scope enlarges with successful use.

6. Ideas have unexpected results. No one person can begin to imagine all the results of a good idea. That’s another reason to welcome participation.

7. Nobody’s going to “steal” your ideas, any more than they can steal your cerebrum. You’re the source. Authority over the idea begins with you.

8. Authority derives from originality and respect. You can’t get respect for your original ideas unless those ideas prove useful to others.

9. There are two reasons other people are going to “steal” your ideas. First, the only people qualified to steal your ideas are too busy trying to get their own ideas to work. Second, they already don’t like your idea because it’s not their idea. (But if your idea gets traction, maybe then they’ll start to respect it.)

10. In the software world, patents are hand-held nuclear weapons. They may have some deterrent or “defensive” purposes, but they tend to hurt those who use them at least as much as they hurt others. Where would Linux be if Linus Tovalds decided to make it a proprietary OS? Where would RSS, blogging, podcasting or outlining be today if Dave Winer had locked his ideas behind patents?

anish said...

Sir your blog completed one year yesterday. Many congratulations.

anish said...

Sir your blog completed one year yesterday. Many congratulations. anish khanna

Smiling Dolphin said...

Rajeev, you are absolutely right!, cheers, Lynn

安妮包 said...

Creative ideas are not unique, but the key to make ideas succeed is how to concentrate on only limited ideas out of all, which is very difficult, to keep working and get them done.

Ideas are nothing without implementation, I think

Vishal said...

True!!
Idea can be taken as if a person has enough raw iron & he gets an idea to make a sharp weapon out of it.

It's totally upon the person, how sharp he think, he can make it & which form of iron he wants to use...
He can convert it to Steel & then makes a weapon or can directly make it.
So conversion of idea into implementation depends totally on how deeply one is involved & also on vision of the person as with the same idea, different persons taste different amount of success(if et all, all of them taste some amount of success)

but in any case, your post has added some additional driving force in me as I am in a phase to convert one of my ideas to implementation.

Mr. Abhas's reply to ur post is worth reading too[:)] & i ve already recommended some of my frnds to go through this post & ur blog as well.

Mayank Malhotra said...

This is so True, Sir.
The Bigger Picture always demands desire & hunger to succeed.

I personally feel,Its better to SELL off the idea or rather DELEGATE, instead of having a view of "sinking ship".
At the end of the day, its just the result which determines the Means of achieving it ( kind of Smart Work)
Even,This is the point where Team Work plays a pivotal Role.
Some are good in thinking, Some good in working. jointly, comes out the suceess.
So, its simple relation of "Co-operate to dominate".

History speaks itself - "Majority of the Billionaires of the World, Share one common skill -"They have good Ideas and they know how to hire good Brains"

Mayank Malhotra said...

This is so True, Sir.
The Bigger Picture always demands desire & hunger to succeed.

I personally feel,Its better to SELL off the idea or rather DELEGATE, instead of having a view of "sinking ship".
At the end of the day, its just the result which determines the Means of achieving it ( kind of Smart Work)
Even,This is the point where Team Work plays a pivotal Role.
Some are good in thinking, Some good in working. jointly, comes out the suceess.
So, its simple relation of "Co-operate to dominate".

History speaks itself - "Majority of the Billionaires of the World, Share one common skill -"They have good Ideas and they know how to hire good Brains"