Here’s the idea behind this e-letter: Ideas are everything. Now what could this mean? Well think about ideas for a moment. There’s not much to them, they’re “just ideas,” and unless someone acts on them, they just stay out there in the ether, or wherever such things are kept.
Now none of us think ideas are unimportant. Imagine the family sitting around watching American Idol, eating popcorn, and having a high-old-time. How many pieces of the event were once “merely” ideas? I don’t think we could count. Once upon a time someone had the idea to heat corn until it popped. Someone had the idea of the microwave, and the bag with butter in it, and the button that says, “popcorn” on the microwave [Never mind the lights, the couch, the TV, and Simon Fuller (not Simon Cowel) who had the idea for Idol in the UK ].
All of these ideas have affected our lives along with the countless others we don’t see in the way of cleansers, bug sprays, air cleaners, air-conditioning, etc. But what if we’re missing something about ideas?
What if the idea is enough? Of course, we can all think of examples of ideas that never went anywhere; probably a few we’ve had ourselves. But that isn’t exactly what I have in mind. I’m talking about the idea whose time has come, the idea which answers a real question or a desperate need. I betting these ideas accomplish themselves.
Really, when an idea is truly inspiring to you
it takes more energy to not act on it than to act on it
. There are a number of reasons this is the case, but primarily I believe it is because an “idea whose time has come” changes our choices. It introduces a new option that would really turn out foolish not to take…and we know it!
Let me offer a small stakes example for any parent, grandparent, or older sibling who has ever driven children anywhere. What is the most draining part of the trip? What is the constant question that wears on us all? Isn’t it, “When are we going to be there?” Or, “Are we there yet?” Although we know the only reason they ask the question is that they just want to know, it still grates on us.
Allow me to offer an idea. In fact it is MERELY an idea, but it is one whose time has come. Once you know it, I predict you’ll have a hard time not acting on it because you (finally?) have a new option, a new choice for life. We started this years ago and have NEVER had any of our five children ever ask us “When are we going to be there.” Our secret is that we talk about the trip in terms of the number 1 to 10 (or 1 to 100 for a long trip). In other words, the trip progress is a matter of asking, “What number are we on?” We do have to do a little calculating, but a “5” is pretty much halfway, so you get the idea. As we get to 7…8…9…the kids get excited because they know they are closer, but not there yet. Well you get the idea.
Now, could that make a little difference? So it is with ideas. Sometimes we look for the ONE that will change everything because we miss the fact that
a lot of small ones will change everything too!
We ’ll share lots of ideas, so send this along to a friend if it’s helpful. And consider the possibility that---
IDEAS ARE EVERYTHING
God’s best,
Fred
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