You are only one idea away from a major breakthrough. 

Ideas are the breeding ground for success. A simple thought can become the catalyst for a life-altering future. Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” 
People are not limited by their bank accounts, friendships, or even opportunities, they are only limited by their level of thinking. The greater your ideas, the greater your opportunities. 

I recently read that according to an IBM study of more than 1,500 CEO’s, creativity is the single most important leadership competency for enterprises facing the complexity of global commerce for today. And I also read that an Adobe Systems poll of 5,000 people see unlocking creative potential as the key to economic growth. 

Unfortunately, most people are terrible thinkers simply because they don’t make time for it. It’s not that they aren’t capable, or that they don’t want to. The problem is they haven’t developed a system for thinking.  It only happens in the shower, during a commute, or whenever they have a lull in their schedule. Scientists and philosopher Blaise Pascal said, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” Whether or not all of humanity’s problems stem from an inability to sit alone, it certainly does cause most people to miss out on the life-altering results that come from thinking. 

Don’t underestimate having thinking time for ideas. Remember, you’re only one idea away from a major breakthrough. The next time you’re afraid to share ideas remember, someone once said in a meeting, “Let’s make a film with a tornado full of sharks.” 

In fact, the hit sci-fy film Sharknado, which started as a semi-joke, with only a budget of 2 million dollars, became a billion dollar franchise. It spawned five sequels and has become world-renowned. Who would have ever thought that a movie about sharks in a tornado would become a billion dollar idea? If not careful, that idea could have either never been shared or shot down upon arrival. As a leader, you need to create lots of ideas and be open to the ideas your team comes up with.  

Don’t be scared of crazy ideas, they just might be the next billion-dollar light bulb moment.