Product Showcases

Your Idea Machine

"You do things when the opportunities come along. I've had periods in my life when I've had a bundle of ideas come along, and I've had long dry spells. If I get an idea next week, I'll do something. If not, I won't do a damn thing."
  --- Warren Buffett

There is not much that can get accomplished without at first generating a good foundation of ideas. Ideas are the fuel for success. They are like the spinach for Popeye, the shovel for digging gold, the fuel for the Shuttle, and the platform for politicians. But they aren't worth squat if they are not acted upon.

Unfortunately, idea machines are rare and hard to get when available. The good news is that you and your team can create your own idea machine. The parts are not expensive and the instructions for putting one together are easy to understand.

"First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination."
  --- Napoleon Hill

The first step for putting your own machine together is to put on whatever thinking cap you have available. Under your thinking cap is your time and place for doing some creative thinking. Use this place and time for generating outrageous ideas. This is the time to put on paper any idea that you think will catapult your business forward toward success. Jot down all of them. You can go back later and revisit these ideas at any time to tweak them.

Of course, we all know that the luxury of spending quiet thinking time is not readily available. That is why we should issue thinking caps to all team members. You hired talented people to be on your team so why not use them as an idea resource as well? Tap into their wealth of ideas and implement new, positive processes for your business.

"To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
  --- Thomas Jefferson

With a slew of new ideas to choose from, you now have the option of picking and choosing which ones will work now and which ones you might have to put on hold for a while. Implementing new ideas generated from team members is a lot easier to introduce than those ideas that come from the top dog.

"You ask me if I keep a notebook to record my great ideas. I've only ever had one."
  --- Albert Einstein

Be sure to keep a journal of all ideas--- even those that are not implemented and those that might seem too "out there." These ideas may come in handy in the future. You might find one that will work at another time, or those ideas in the journal may spur creative minds to even more great ideas.

The main thing is to keep the ideas flowing from every team member without stifling or interfering with their creativity.

"Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait. The grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of will and energy to execute your ideas."
  --- Henry Ford