Starting Something Big
We all want to… but you’re doing it wrong
You know what I’m talking about. Those ‘BIG’ ideas that come to you when you’re in the shower or walking the dog. It could be a new business idea, a movement, or an incredible invention. As soon as the thought comes to you, you know that this is a big idea. But if you are like most people, you respond one of two ways. You either gulp down the Koolaid and become instantly excited about your new idea, or you shrug your shoulders and offer an excuse for why you could never make it happen. Both of these methods are wrong. Dead wrong. Starting something big begins with an idea, but if you never follow through, it won’t happen. Period.
However, you can’t build an empire on raw passion and an optimistic attitude. While it is good to be an idea person it is also good to be in touch with reality. Leaning too much one way or the other could be catastrophic. And the reality is, most of us don’t have a consistent framework we filter our ideas through. If your idea is to come to life, you must be able to distinguish between what is faith and what is futility. I call this the “flesh or flush” framework. More on that later…
Ideas are everything… and nothing
As a hopeless idea addict, I know how it feels to have ‘brilliant‘ ideas. And I also know what it’s like to have them crushed by a ‘practical preacher’ or the greatly feared reality check (gasp). But no matter how many ideas get shot down, or how impossible the thoughts may be, I can’t keep myself from dreaming. This, I feel, is a good quality, but it can be terribly distracting while trying to work in the real world.
The truth is, ideas are wealth generators for some individuals and the downfall of many dreamers. Thinking big is a virtue, but if not cultivated correctly, it can hinder you from doing anything meaningful at all. Many times I lay awake at night dreaming of another business venture, a new product or service, or even a way to solve world hunger. But many times, in the end, my eyes close, and nothing happens. For some ideas, this may be the best outcome. For others, this is the tragic fate of something great.
In reality, you can waste precious hours on ideas that turn out like rotten tomatoes. But if you never try anything, you’re a doomed failure by default. So how do you know which ideas to cling to and which ones to let go of? You have to have a consistent framework for evaluating your ideas.
The value of the RIGHT idea when starting something big
Without the right idea, starting something big is never going to happen. having said that, finding the right idea that fits you, your vision, and your ability to make it happen is challenging, but not impossible. It is simply a matter of filtering your ideas through the right lens to see if the idea is worth pursuing or just another time thief. I call this process fleshing or flushing. Once you learn how to flush the mediocre ideas and flesh out the great ones, you’re ready to start the journey of creating something big.
Flesh it or flush it?
In the past, I confused the term “fleshing” out an idea with “flushing” out an idea. I learned this while in a meeting with a client and it took some fast thinking to pull out of that spiral. Those are completely different concepts I assure you! Fleshing out an idea is like putting meat on the bones of a skeleton. It is the process of exploring and figuring out the different elements of the idea to make it more complete. On the other hand, flushing an idea is dumping your idea and sending it to a watery grave never to be seen again.
The flesh or flush framework
As mentioned earlier, I am an idea addict. I have wasted countless hours in pursuit of mediocre or underdeveloped ideas. Don’t be like me! It is terribly frustrating and unproductive. Instead, use a consistent framework for filtering your ideas on the front end. You can either create your own evaluation process or feel free to use the system I created for myself. This system is now my go-to guide for gaining clarity when I have new ideas and am starting something big. If you want my 4 step framework, simply download it below. You are free to use this for any idea you have, large or small, and be more productive pursuing the RIGHT ideas.
Download the Flesh or Flush Worksheet
Stop wasting time on bad ideas
If you are like most people, you hate to waste time on a bad idea when you could be working on a better one. The cure is using the flesh or flush framework to filter your ideas before you start. Starting something big is only possible if you have the right idea. Don’t waste another minute working on a time suck idea and don’t miss the best dream of your life. Start using this easy framework today!
