I want to talk about what to do after you take the time to think and collect your ideas. Remember, you have to write down your ideas so you don’t forget them. Earl Nightingale said,

“Ideas are elusive, slippery things. Best to keep a pad of paper and a pencil at your bedside, so you can stab them during the night before they get away.”

After an idea pops into our mind and we write it down (so we do not forget it), we must let the idea marinate. Ideas are like seeds of potential, but they need to be watered and nurtured. Most great ideas don’t start off as great ideas, they start off as a simple idea that marinates into something amazing. However, if we don’t let ideas marinate they will not grow into great ideas. Many times ideas die because we don’t take the time to let them grow. Marinating our thoughts is about letting them get better and grow into something great! Victor Hugo said,

“All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come.”

Ideas can get better over time if we allow them to grow in our mind. Ideas need to go through a process of birthing in order for them to come to life. Just like a baby forms in the mother’s womb for a period of time, so our ideas need to go through the birthing process. Rarely does an idea come fully packaged with the details. However, as we allow the ideas to grow and marinate, over time, they will get what they need in order to survive. Do not be discouraged if incomplete ideas come to you, that is normal. Take the time to allow your ideas to get better over time. When an idea comes into our awareness we can then begin to grow the idea into something great, but it takes time. We must be patient with ideas. Many people become discouraged too quickly and give up on their ideas before they reach full maturity.

So how do you marinate your ideas?

How do you allow your idea to grow?

The answer: you have to spend time reflecting and adding to the idea daily. As an idea comes into your conscious awareness you need to begin to spend time with the idea. Spend time jotting down new ideas, research information about your current idea, spend time fleshing out the idea. You need to have a green room for your thoughts, a place and time where you can nurture them. For me, I spend time thinking, writing down my thoughts, and then I spend a lot of time playing with the idea. By playing, I mean I begin to figure out how the idea can become a reality. Many times I use “Mind Mapping” to play with my ideas. Swami Vivekananda said,

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.”

I love to cook and really love to eat. One of the techniques I have learned over the years is the process of marinating. Marinating meat for example transforms the flavor of the meat into something amazing. But you have to take the time to prep the marinade, let it soak for hours, if not days, in order for it to be the best it can be. Our ideas have to incubate and grow over time.