Great ideas, contrary to what people think, don’t just pop up out of the crowd with a sign around their neck that says, “Great idea.” Most of the “great ideas” I’ve had, I’ve had to fight to implement. I’ve argued with editors over stories I’ve wanted to do (every one I’ve fought for has won an award and every one was greeted with an initial reaction of, “Who’d want to read that?”)
As someone pointed out to me once, if you have a really great idea don’t worry about people trying to steal it. You’ll have to shove it down their throat to get them to adopt it. It’s true. The ideas and visions that are most likely to win the awards, to solve a crisis, to resolve an issue or solve a problem are the ones no one wants to look at.
They are great ideas because they come at the problem from a different angle and “being different” scares people. It makes them angry, defensive and irritated. Why? They don’t know what to do with something they didn’t think of, something they don’t understand, something that might work and won’t have a whit of their input.
So next time you have an idea that everyone laughs at, ridicules or dismisses, hang onto it. It’s probably a great one.
