Write Down Your Ideas Before It’s Too Late

I had a great idea for a blog this morning, but I failed to write it down. That’s the thing about ideas. No matter how good they are, they can easily slip away. I know the fact, yet I often convince myself that it won’t happen. The five-star blog idea is gone. I’ve accepted that. Fortunately, it led to the idea of the one I’m writing now. If you haven’t guessed the topic yet, it’s this: Write things down!

I’m serious. Don’t let those ideas slip away! Even if they’re bad ones. I recently came across some advice about brainstorming. I can’t remember it verbatim, but it went something along the lines of “this is a brainstorming session, no idea is a bad idea. If you think of anything at all, say it. Even a bad idea can quickly turn into a good one with a few adjustments.”

I know I’m not talking about brainstorming sessions, but the concept can still apply. We all have complicated lives. Once we can make better for ourselves and those around us. Our ideas do that for us. Sometimes they come at a good time, but more often they come in random moments. Moments where something sparks a thought, or quiet times when we have a second to think clearly.

Whatever the case may be, most of the thoughts we have will float away if we don’t take them seriously. Ideas are snobby like that. I once read that George Washington wouldn’t keep appointments with people if they were so much as a single minute late. Your ideas are like that. Give them the respect and attention they deserve, and they’ll stick around. Not all of them will be amazing, but like I said, sometimes a bad idea is just a good idea starting to grow.

The next time a good blog idea floats across my mental landscape, I’ll do my best to pull out my pen and write it down. Till then, this blog can be a reminder that I lost my good blog idea.