Can A Simple Idea Change Your Life?

Ideas happen all the time. And when I say an idea, I don't just mean a mere thought. An idea is more than a mental opinion and it is loftier than a sentiment. An idea is a special thought. It is a thought that gives you a rush, a sparkle, a feeling of exhilaration.

We all have ideas, but usually we brush them off, rushing to do other more pressing or more entertaining things. We treat ideas like beggars who try to steal our attention. We hurry past them with our eyes averted.

Then, of course, there are those times, when we need to resolve a situation as quickly as possible-but our minds remain blank! Our feeble brainstorming sessions result in fatigue and frustration. "Never mind!" says the idea-generating Genie within.

Unless we cultivate a habit of writing down our ideas when they occur, we will not find them when we really need them. We cultivate ideas by learning more and by teaching what we know. And we cultivate ideas by capturing them on paper whenever they show up.

Ideas come loaded with inspirational zest. They call for attention, welling up from the depths of consciousness at the oddest times?when we're falling asleep or waking up, when we're in the shower, or when we're climbing aboard a crowded shuttle.

Right now, I'm giving you an idea. I'm telling you that ideas can be your best friend and that you should treat them with respect, even reverence. When you fixate on a mental object, your brain automatically starts to elaborate on a theme, and before long, you start to get fresh new ideas.

Perhaps an idea can make you a fortune. Consider the idea of mixing two different types of favorite foods to create a unique combination. The foods are chocolate and peanut butter. It's a simple enough idea, but by acting on it, Hershey Foods has made $4.43 billion in sales. Yes, BILLIONS.

The other day, I had a simple idea that is making my life work better.

I noticed that when I dwelt on my problems, I became overwhelmed by them. This resulted in my not taking any action. And, generally speaking, they often got worse.

I noticed that making grocery lists forced me to notice what I needed and forced me to focus on picking up everything that I needed when I go shopping. Similarly, by making lists of my problems, I was able to sort through them and develop simple actions to resolve them.

When I decided to make a list of all my problems based on my positive experience with grocery lists, I combined two experiences which had nothing to do with each other to create an elegant strategy.

Now I get great satisfaction when I scratch off an item on my list. Problem after problem, task after task, I am moving forward in my life, adding more quality and eliminating more pain.

As my problems diminish my life is getting easier. Now I'm beginning to see them as challenges rather than problems. And by noticing my own self-improvement, I'm able to get more enthused about resolving difficulties by generating even more ideas.

A simple idea has changed my life.

A simple way to generate ideas is to ask questions like, "If I were (state the problem) what would I like to happen right now?" For example, "If I were (a car that needed repair work) what would I like to happen right now?" Then your mind would come up with an answer and an objection. "I'd get repaired (answer) but there isn't enough money (objection)." You'd then continue dialoging with yourself in this vein until you could find an idea on how to generate more money, or find someone to fix it for free, or find a substitute repair work that would be cheaper until you did find the money. Do you see how it works?

Gathering ideas can be fun and they can change your life, too. All it takes is paying attention to all the ideas that are showing up for you every day.

Resource Box

Saleem Rana got his masters in psychotherapy from California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, Ca., 15 years ago and now resides in Denver, Colorado. His articles on the internet have inspired over ten thousand people from around the world. Discover how to create a remarkable life

Copyright 2005 Saleem Rana. Please feel free to pass this article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or newsletter. It's a shareware article.

---

Do You Need A Business Plan If Your Idea Is New, Untested, or Unproven?

Who Should Read This Article?Anyone nursing a new (especially untested... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Being Obvious

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Role Play

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Process Innovation

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Success Tip From Yachting - Try To Fix The Problem Yourself

At 28, Ellen MacArthur is a world record holder. In... Read More

Use Your Intuition As a Valuable Tool for Change

Here's a subject that we don't normally think of when... Read More

Intuition Power In Three Steps

Have you ever used your intuition to solve problems? Can... Read More

Think Outside The Cup and Saucer

There were four of us at dinner. Three ordered "regular"... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management - Good Ideas Part 2

The relative ease of i) generating good ideas and ii)... Read More

Business Innovation ? Confidence through Competence

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Managing Creativity and Innovation, Part 2 of 2

Leaders, consultants and managers must be competent in at least... Read More

Perfectionism - The Dangerous Trap!

Just when I have something figured out, along comes another... Read More

Creativity Management ? When To Add Talent

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Let the Seeds Grow

The thought that every great thing that has ever happened,... Read More

Creativity Management ? Theres Nothing New Under the Sun

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Peace Alliance vs. Fighting a Battle

We read in the press about the "War on Drugs"... Read More

Change Is a Skill Development Learning Process

Change, like almost every other life experience, is a learning... Read More

Knowledge Gains in Innovation

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

How To Be An Innovator In A World Of Change

Innovators are opportunity-oriented.What's the hidden opportunity in that problem? Where... Read More

Mother Of Invention Or Dummy? You Decide!

What would you say to yourself if when faced with... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management ? Decision Makers

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Can A Simple Idea Change Your Life?

Ideas happen all the time. And when I say an... Read More

Business Innovation ? Eliciting Talent

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Innovation Management ? Ideas From The Most Embarrassing Experiences Of Life

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Creative Process

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Prevention is Better Than Cure... Says Who?

You've likely heard this before... "An ounce of prevention is... Read More

The Pendulum Swings Right - A Major Shift is Happening Inside Our Brains

The world is now changing again, it appears. The logical... Read More

The Hidden Superpowers Of Your Mind

The mind is an infinite wonder. It has the fantastic... Read More

Business Innovation ? Confidence in People

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Choosing a Winning Business Idea

You've probably heard it a hundred times by now -... Read More

Innovation Management ? Testing Ideas

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Innovation Management ? 5 Ideas An Hour

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management - Good Ideas Part 1

The constant search for Good Ideas has resulted in many... Read More