Curious about Ideas: Where Do They Come From and How Do You Use Them?

“Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.” - Jim Rohn, American businessman

“I'm in constant search of new information and ideas, and I want to make the best of this short time that we're out here on this planet living this nebulous thing called life. And I want to plant a few trees along the way and nurture some minds and watch them grow, as people did for me.” - Joe Henderson, American musician

Ideas have been utmost in my mind, life and work for as long as I can remember. I have, however, even been concentrating more than ever lately. Why? Because I have been working toward the launch of my new e-book, BUSY? Want Ideas that Work? Invest Only 20 Minutes a Week for SUCCESS! Let me tell you about it.

For more than four and a half years I have been publishing a bi-weekly e-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri. Each issue has a theme that addresses Creativity, Powerful Presentations, Storytelling Power and Freelance Living. Newer subscribers have asked if the back issues are archived anywhere, because they would like to read them.

Yes, I have the copies, but they are long. Therefore, I decided to gather, compile and distill their essence, including all 101 motivation, inspiration and idea generators in one e-book. The book is set up for you to read and work on a theme a week. I figure that, at the most, this should take about 20 minutes.

The great news is that this mere 20 minutes will set the tone for the week. And, you will find that as the days and hours fly by, lots and lots of new ideas will fly into your life. Some of the ideas will work and others won’t. But you will never be without them again.

So, what do the experts say about ideas and their importance:

• “Ideas won't keep; something must be done about them.” - Alfred North Whitehead, English mathematician
• “All ideas grow out of other ideas.” - Anish Kapoor, Indian Artist
• “Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards - the things we live by and teach our children - are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings.” - Walt Disney, American cartoonist
• “I have learned to respect ideas, wherever they come from. Often they come from clients. Account executives often have big creative ideas, regardless of what some writers think.” - Leo Burnett, American businessman
• “One can resist the invasion of an army but one cannot resist the invasion of ideas.” - Victor Hugo, French author

A few more to think about:

• “Exchange ideas frequently.” - James Cash Penney, American businessman
• “The ability to convert ideas to things is the secret of outward success.” - Henry Ward Beecher, American clergyman
• “Look at the product pipeline, look at the fantastic financial results we've had for the last five years. You only get that kind of performance on the innovation side, on the financial side, if you're really listening and reacting to the best ideas of the people we have.” - Steve Ballmer, American businessman
• “I believe in communication; books communicate ideas and make bridges between people.” - Jeanette Winterson, British novelist
• “Most of the fundamental ideas of science are essentially simple, and may, as a rule, be expressed in a language comprehensible to everyone.” - Albert Einstein, American physicist
• “In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm... in the real world all rests on perseverance.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet

Below are a couple of quotations to take with you for the week. I also urge you to check out BUSY? Want Ideas That Work? Invest 20 Minutes a Week for SUCCESS! by clicking HERE.

“The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes, American writer

“Believe Big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success. Remember this, too! Big ideas and big plans are often easier - certainly no more difficult - than small ideas and small plans.” - David Joseph Schwartz, American businessman

Let me know about your ideas - big and small - but especially BIG!