Actions, not Ideas, make the difference....

flivkr.com

The world does not pay men for what they know. It pays them for what they do with/about what they know. I often hear people express fear about having their ideas stolen. I tell them the world is probably better off for the many ideas 'stolen' for had it not been for these 'idea thieves' we might never have been exposed to these life-changing solutions. The fact is, ideas are a dime a dozen - no matter how innovative they seem. It's been said that anyone who has ever taken a shower has had an idea with the potential to 'change the world.' That's how cheaply they come. The real truth is, it's no matter the extent of your imagination, the creativity or novelty of your idea or the breadth of your vision, it is only what you do about them that counts.

Life has a way of making room for the man (or woman) whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going. Thomas Edison, the famed inventor, is known to have said "If we did the things we are capable of we would astound ourselves." Have you ever stopped to think of the number of times you have been complimented for a particular talent or skill you possess? Yet you find yourself constrained by thoughts of your inexperience and inadequacy. Add that to your thoughts about how humongous the task is, then stir in your habit of procrastination. The result? You're stuck. Inaction characterizes your existence. What's worse, you look ahead of you and find people with far less skill and aptitude making their way happily across the finish line....and you ask yourself 'how'...and 'why'?

It's not rocket science. It's simply that they have learnt to be more action-oriented. They do not wait for perfect conditions to move. They understand that while timing is important in business, every moment is perfect for some level of activity. They possess an ability to sense, mobilize and act under conditions of uncertainty. "Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap" (Ecclesiastes 11:4). It can't get clearer than that!

As life would have it, finding is reserved for the seekers and doors of opportunities are opened to those who go knocking. How many of us have ideas upon which we sit like hens brooding over her eggs? The problem is, unlike the hen, our ideas will never hatch with inactivity. Continuous activity/effort - not strength or intelligence, wishful thinking or hope - is the key to unlocking our potential. What we know and how we feel merely determine our potential for achievement. We must find ways to demonstrate externally what we possess on the inside. If not, our values will remain unappreciated and our talents undiscovered and unrewarded.Now what will you DO about it?