Sunday, March 11, 2007

when i tell you a dream, the Standard Operating Procedure is...

to start by honoring it.

if you are to be my friend, here are the rules:

1) if i finally open up and trust you and share a dream in life or an ambitious noble goal, you are forbidden to dissect it immediately and tell me it is not feasible
= if you do that, i will not forgive you.
= for you have committed the greatest act against me: telling me that i cannot do it or that my dream is up for failure

2) if you do have a criticism to share, under the pretentious guise of a constructive criticism, i do not want to hear it...
= because you have to prove to me first that you have accomplished all your highest goals in your own life or have fulfilled your Highest Potential
= unless you've reached this state, you have no right to tell me what i can or cannot do, or what is and is not possible
= it severely annoys me that people kill dreams under the guise of constructive criticism
= i call these people Shadow Dreamers... those too scared to pursue their own dreams and instead project their ego on others pursuing theirs... and by dissecting the feasibility of others' dreams
= they get to experience the act of Dreaming vicariously... indirectly through other people
= do me a favor, if i tell you a dream of mine and you decide to attack it... please do me and the world a favor and just kill yourself... this world urgently needs positive people and dreamers

3) but if you really have something to say, that you are convinced is essential to the feasibility and chance of success of my dream or life goal, please let me know how i can immediately make it better
= or how i can make it work
= or let me know if you know somebody that can concretely further its accomplishment

you see, a book on business creativity once said there are several types of people in a brainstorming session

the most important are:
a) idea generators
b) idea developers or refiners

idea generators - are good with concepts, big picture thinking, germs of ideas, beginnings of ideas, where projects can start

idea developers or refiners - they pick up where idea generators end, they refine their concepts, positively or negatively refine the concepts, check for feasibility, challenge its soundness, etc

i once worked for a brainstorming group for a television station and the newest batch of creatives had a majority of idea developers

we never churned out anything original anymore because once a brainstorming session started, and somebody proposes an idea just to start with, the majority comprised of idea developers would immediately attack it and refine it to death

in the end, the show concept looked so refined and logical that it no longer smelled fresh and original

when pitched to management, guess what, an embarrassing rejection.

and so, yes, you may be talented as an idea developer...
but really, your role comes much later
all great and successful projects have a Great Idea at their core

once this is discovered, only then can it be refined to something better

by the way,
none of the great ideas that improved humanity came from an idea developer.
they were always started by an illogical but inspired idea generator.

i am a very inspired and brilliant Idea Generator.
if you are an idea developer, please consult the rules above.

if you cannot follow them,
please stay away from my life and look for someone who needs mediocrity in their life.

2 comments:

  1. What an awesome post! People can be so disheartening at times - especially loved ones - when they're needed the most. You've spelled out exactly what to say if privileged enough to have a dream shared with them. I've placed this post as one of my "Friday Favorites" on my blog.

    Thanks again!

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  2. I can certaninly empathize with you. I too am a visionary and idea generator. I need others around me who have the ability to implement. I am trying to start a foundation right now and I need to re-shape my committee. We have many visionaries and no implementers...we are spinning our wheels. If you haven't read, may I suggest the book Visioneering by Andy Stanley. He talks about this very subject. Also about when you have a HUGE vision you will not have all of the answers. They will come as needed.

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