Ideas are cheap. Plentiful. Less than a dime a dozen. Ideas are not creativity. Novel solutions, crafted from ideas, make up creativity. What is the difference between having an idea and having a solution? The hard work of actually doing something.
From Poke the Box, by Seth Godin:
- The first imperative is to be aware—aware of the market, of opportunities, of who you are.
- The second imperative is to be educated, so you can understand what’s around you.
- The third imperative is to be connected, so you can be trusted as you engage.
- The fourth imperative is to be consistent, so the system knows what to expect.
- The fifth imperative is to build an asset, so you have something to sell.
- The sixth imperative is to be productive, so you can be well-priced.
I can find a thousand books and a million memos about the first six imperatives. They were drilled into you in countless moments in school, and plenty of graduate schools and bosses are delighted to help you with them. But when it comes to the seventh imperative, it seems as though you’re on your own. The seventh imperative is frightening and thus easy to overlook or ignore.
- The seventh imperative is to have the guts and the heart and the passion to ship.