How to be faithful to an idea (part 2).

What’s the wonderful idea that not only excites you, but could sustain your fidelity, or loyalty? Simply put, what's the idea you want to be faithful to in your work? That’s where we left off in last week’s blog post. Missed it? Read here.

That inquiry raises two related questions I’m tackling today: How do you find your idea? And how do you cultivate the discipline and fidelity to it, no matter what line of work you are in?

I say that, in fact, you find your idea in the act of being faithful to it. And...

One of the best ways to be(come) faithful to an idea is not to be alone with it. 

That’s the main takeaway of today’s post. And it bears repeating:

One of the best ways to be(come) faithful to an idea is not to be alone with it, precisely because it can be tempting to protect your precious idea from the elements and others while incubating it.

This temptation only grows if you, like me, tend toward exquisite standards. Propriety and (intellectual) property can lead you to keep mum. (I’ve done my share of “quiet” and cloistered in the past.)

What I’ve learned and seen first-hand is your fidelity to your idea grows by sharing it.

You want to end up with an idea that deepens as you work with it, and on it.

The key: everyday conversation.

Conversation with others can help pull you toward an idea that can sustain critique, and get richer (and deeper) the longer you work with it, or evolve it.

So how to make this happen? 

To begin, commit to sharing an/the idea that excites you (the one you’re feeling you could be faithful to) in a conversation with five people over the next week.

It’s not a formal pitch. Rather, an everyday conversation, and you’re just seeing how they react: where they perk up, and what word or phrase causes them to turn their head 1/4” or lean in toward you. 

Keep a log (an evernote or post-it is fine) of what you learn, and which words or phrases you want to use the next time you share or explore your idea with someone else.

This implicit information you’ll gather (what you observe and hear in their body-language) is invaluable, because it can help you clarify what you care most about in your idea.

[For this exercise, I’d encourage you to tap into this wealth of implicit information. If there’s a particular conversation that takes off, it’s ok to ask “What could I do to improve my idea?” That’s a fine question, but not the main point of this exercise. Rather, you’re seeking to have everyday conversations with others in order to deepen the ongoing conversation you’re having with yourself about your idea.]

Think of it this way: you wouldn't put on a play without rehearsing it. Ditto for your idea.

Share it and see where folks light up and where they have trouble. Bring that to your private time, space, or relationship with your idea where you plumb its depths and find new facets or dimensions, while keeping your sights trained on its core. 

You can spot an idea that's been cared for in its simplicity and quality. It’s incisive with ease.

I’ll leave you with this thought: The notion of being in a relationship with your idea is curiously freeing.  Why?

Because it acknowledges that your idea (and your understanding of it and your partnership) is alive, changing, and always evolving.

Think of it as an alive, long-term relationship.