Have you ever had a really great idea that nobody else liked? Dreams that just didn't work out? Vision that you wished others shared in?
Recently I was reminded of this topic as I gave some advice to a friend who'd experienced this. It's one of the hardest things relationally to work through.
As a person who almost obsessively fixes problems, looks for a better way to do things, and strives for the ideal: I've gone through it, and I didn't deal well with the results. It can be crushing when you don't feel heard, or as though your perception doesn't hold value. I've experienced this with family, friends, being employed, and even in my own business.
Our creative process and outlook on life are core to who we are. It's like the blood coursing through our vascular system; as such, when we are wounded, it can almost feel like we are fatigued and bleeding out. Ironically, this is how it should be: if it weren't important, we wouldn't have passion for what we do, and we wouldn't give our all in our endeavors.
So how do we manage after the project lit up like a dumpster fire? There can be a tendency to feel as though the uncooperative parties involved are now enemies, spite bubbles to the surface like a carbonated beverage, and you may even consider throwing in the towel in everything you do because it would just be easier to never share an idea again or to work with other people. The answer: we need to stop believing that we are the center of it all.
Yes, I know, I've just jackknifed across the five-lane highway of this sympathetic article and taken on the stance of challenging YOU--a head-on collision with your ego. Hear me out: I've applied this to myself too and this applies to much of life.
The root of these feelings come from a fickle thing called 'expectations'. Expectations really boil down to a picture we create in our head of how things are going to go, and more often than not--we are not willing to compromise on any of it. The problem is that we ALL do it! So, if nobody moves, how will anyone go forward with an idea, direction, etc? I know, I know, you're probably saying "but what I want to do is the best way! It's just logic!" And you may be right, but not everyone understands everything the same way. You could have the best idea in the world, but if it's not understood then it won't be authentically embraced and enacted. Why do you think the best literary pieces, works of art, and movements often aren't recognized until the founder/creator is dead and gone? It takes time, personal experience, and personal conviction for an idea to be welcomed.
Take heart, you may actually be a genius. You might actually have the answer to the problem. You could make that event happen. Your thought probably would've been the billion dollar price-tag. That's just one part of the equation though. People, relationship, and growth are the missing piece. An idea is nothing without people. Not only do we need to be wise and focused, but we also need to try to allow others to be who they are, and where they are in their season. When the timing is right, the harvest will be bountiful and ripe.
So what do you do until then?
Simple: keep doing you. Keep moving. Keep creating. Keep thinking. Find other people who share an open-mind and a love for exchanging ideas. Attend workshops and learn new things. Be vulnerable and willing to question if you may have things that need to change. Those people, circumstances, and projects that you had to walk away from may not always come back around as a success story and the people who opposed you may never have that 'aha!' moment where they acknowledge that you were right...but opportunity always exists as long as you keep moving forward.
If you find that this article really spoke to you and you're desiring to share your ideas and visions with someone: call us. We get excited about people. We get excited about new ideas. About life. About growth. Let's talk about making your ideas a reality with some conversation, a plan, and some hard work. The worst thing that could happen is that you keep moving on and having more ideas, but the real tragedy would be if you never tried at all. Call us, but until then: keep on keeping on.