Where inspirational ideas go to die

We recently read a blog post by Stuart Danforth about where good ideas go to die.

It’s a great post. It’s disturbing, too.

Ruminating on the topic blows the mind.

Today we’re all firing out ideas and communications nonstop (like what I’m doing now). So many, in fact, that you have to wonder if we’re giving them their due before jumping onto the next one.

How do we know where to spend our time to create the greatest impact?  Some things are worthy of burning the midnight oil for. Other things are not. So the question is, “What ideas do we truly believe in and passionately want to commit ourselves to?”

Let’s look at some examples:

Handel composed the Messiah in 24 days which is unheard of. He knew he was on to something and he passionately set out to create it. When people hear it they don’t ask how long it took him to compose, rather they are blown away by the musical achievement.

Robert Plant wrote the lyrics to the epic song, Stairway to Heaven, in a flash of inspiration. While sitting in front of a fireplace, he scratched it out quickly on scrap paper. What if he had been distracted and forgotten about the hastily scribbled lines? Plant’s few minutes of focus, like Handel’s, have been captivating us for decades ever since.

How about Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel? He painted the chapel ceiling in 4 years. It recently was cleaned by a team of conservators. It took them 12 years to complete the job. Michelangelo was focused. The end product is a staggering accomplishment.

Are we focused? Do our mind blowing, great ideas get trampled on or forgotten because the next thing comes along? Do we allow our ideas to become great ideas? I can’t help but believe the world has a burial ground of the greatest ideas that never happened. 

So, next time you get an idea, remind yourself that it came to you for a reason. It’s your own. Maybe it’s worth deeper consideration and passionate commitment. Don’t dismiss it because it came to you in a flash. We all have moments of brilliance. The key is recognizing them in the cacophony of the digital age we live in.