Have you ever considered that maybe you’re moving too fast and missing out on what’s right in front of you? While there is much to gain by relentlessly pushing the boundaries and exploring new areas, there is equal (if not greater) value in taking a closer look at what we already have. 

We don’t always have to chase after the best things in life. Whether it’s ideas or sudden bursts of creativity, running after what we want will only push it further out of reach. Standing still and letting the ideas blossom into their fullest potential can reveal the fact that we’re already standing in an ocean of our own genius… but we’re usually moving too quickly to notice. 

Here’s how to stop seeking outside of the box and harvest all the fruitful ideas that are within it - just waiting to be tapped into. 

Don’t Be Blind to Good Ideas

If you want to start implementing your good ideas and stop only collecting hypotheticals, it’s all about keeping an open mind. When we’re closed off, we’re unable to see the value in even the simplest concepts - which are oftentimes the million-dollar ideas that take a business to an entirely new level. 

The key to this is understanding that innovation isn’t where you’re falling short. In fact, I’d say many of us have too much innovative fire for our own good. When creativity runs wild, it’s difficult to distill those leads to a tangible business progression. 

To see real results in our work, we’ll need to retrain our eyes to spot good ideas. Don’t be afraid to spend time thinking and rethinking an idea to get it application-ready. Give your creative brain the time it needs to mature ideas into seeds of success ripe for planting. 

Reconfigure Your Strategy-Funnel

How do you respond to the brainstorming process? Do you list out idea after idea without putting much thought into what you said a minute ago? Or, do you build one concept off of another until it finally transforms into something different altogether? 

Analyzing the way the mind moves through the innovation process can give insights into how we can improve. Don’t be afraid to commit to an idea or weigh them over each other - just play around with whatever you feel and let the ideas flow out of you. 

Slow Down 

Whether it’s at work or at home, most of us are trained to go 10,000 miles an hour without ever stopping to refuel. All too often, this workflow becomes toxic - a habit that holds us back rather than propelling us forward. 

Slowing down will enable you to reflect on their ideas and take them to deeper levels. Exploring the fullness of a concept takes time, and your mind will need to tone it down a notch to let this process happen. 

I like to remind myself that slowing down, just like pressing forward, is another way to cultivate success. 

Stop juggling a million different potential ideas and hone into the ones that are already within grasp. We can all learn so much from ditching the mentality where everything you want is out of reach. If you stay on that track, your own innovation will only burn you out. 

Once you decide to tap into your immediate web of ideas, you’ll be surprised at what you had lying around that you simply didn’t notice!