7 Strategies for Turning My Ideas into Reality – ElPropósito3 min de lectura

What’s your process for thinking, designing and creating? Here’s mine

For a long time I suffered from analysis paralysis. I’d have a good idea in mind, but writing it down and putting it into practice was impossible until it was perfect (in my head). All that got me was procrastination, fear of failure and anxiety.

The truth is we make decisions surrounded by data, and paradoxically, the information keeps getting less complete. When you can’t picture where a chosen path leads, it gets overwhelming. We need that "something" that lets us feel calm enough to decide and make our wishes real.

What has helped me make my ideas happen and find that "something"? These are my 7 strategies:

1. A deep need: there has to be a genuine interest tied to a purpose. In my case, if it isn’t in line with my life purpose, I don’t do it. If it fits my values, it automatically becomes a goal
2. Inner peace: the inner dialogue between the future ("will I be able to?") and the past ("I couldn’t before") has to stop. Fear paralyzes us. We need to be in the present, in the here and now, and I’ve managed that through meditation
3. Start: do anything related to the goal, it doesn’t matter what. It can be a sketch of the idea or a sentence about it. What matters is starting. This was one of my biggest lessons (working with my coach) and today it’s one of my favorite strategies. My ideas used to stay in my head
4. Hard work: we need to be clear that the key to achieving anything in life is work. I recently heard a Thomas Alva Edison quote: "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." It’s very much in line with the motto of my university, Zamorano, which you can read on its main building: "Labor Omnia Vincit," work conquers all
5. Ask for help and listen: being open to listening and receiving feedback is and has been a challenge for me. It’s what makes my ideas evolve. It means being able to hear what makes me uncomfortable, even when it’s far from what I’d like to hear. I think an idea’s richness lies in the trust to share it and in our ability to put the feedback to work
6. Iterate: I learned this from a friend who taught me about innovation. Each iteration gets richer with the feedback I receive after asking for help. Over time the original idea grows stronger, comes to life and adapts to its environment as I iterate again and again
7. Perfect is the enemy of good (a phrase attributed to Voltaire): maybe one of the biggest challenges I’ve overcome. Staying aware that perfection comes with time. I’m finishing a year of reading many biographies, and this may be one of the most important lessons of my life

What’s your process to think, design and create?

A hug and have a great week,

Rodrigo Baccaro

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

Linkedin