ADOI Blog

Are you big enough to fail?

nick_morgan on 06 30, 2009

As a creative thinker you are going to fail! Consider the 40 ideas quota discussed previously (on the premise productivity precedes greatness an ideas quota is your best chance to get brilliant ideas). Out of 40 ideas in total, you may have one you think has some potential to develop into a great, unique and original idea.

Therefore, 39 of your ideas have failed. In a business environment that can be harsh. And it’s the number one reason we don’t speak up and share our ideas. But get this, nobody got shouted down for having too many ideas! Nobody gets shouted down for having too many ideas. You are going to fail! It’s part and parcel of having an idea brain. Therefore, get used to it. It’s often said, to be truly creative you must never be scared of failure.

To illustrate, think of the children. They are the purest of creative thinkers. Einstein himself accounted for his creative genius by his desire at all times to “think like a child”. And why is that? Primarily, because children are born without a fear of failure, they simply say what they think, and in that freedom does true genius occur.

How often I hear “That idea was mine, I thought of it weeks ago, if only I said something”. I know what it is like to shut up, keep quiet, because we’re scared the idea will sound silly or even worse, expected and ordinary.

But all ideas are good ideas, it simply depends on the context you are viewing them, and the ability to productively develop them into the great and unique. So, take a deep breath and then speak up without fear of failure! And remember, nobody ever, ever, got shouted down for having too many ideas. Nick Morgan Think better> creative training/mentorship nick@creativedirector.co.nz

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