What Do You Do With an Idea?: Overcoming Fear and Pursuing Your Dreams | 夢を実現するための鍵

Have you ever felt stuck in a difficult situation, unsure of how to move forward or pursue your dreams? I’ve been there. As a storyteller, artist, and Social Entrepreneur, I constantly generate new ideas for stories, articles, and other creative projects. However, I often find myself struggling with doubt and uncertainty about whether my ideas are relevant, or if I have the skills to bring them to life. In this blog post, I’m sharing 3 success keys that helped me overcome my doubts and fears about my creative work which impacted me on my way to approach my ideas through a story, “What Do You Do With an Idea?”, written by Kobi Yamada and Illustrated by Mac Besom.

Discovering the Book “What Do You Do With an Idea?”

I first came across a children’s book, “What Do You Do With an Idea?”, while taking a walk one afternoon around my neighborhood. There was a cute and cozy small neighborhood store in Lincoln Square welcoming me in to come in. While grasping the products displayed on the shelves a whimsical illustration and colorful book immediately caught my eye. But it was the title that intrigued me. I felt like the book was speaking directly to me. I was curious to see what the book had to say about an idea.

The story starts with a boy with an idea who is initially hesitant to share it with others. The boy is unsure of his idea and doesn’t know what to do with it. However, he represents the idea as a golden egg with a crown. In the beginning, he ignores and shoves the idea away from him because he doesn’t have the effort and courage to face the difficult moments. But, one day he finds out the egg with the crown is always around him. The egg with the crown always follows him wherever he goes. So, the boy decides to spend time with the egg with the crown. He still had to face hard moments yet, but he started enjoying the time with the egg with the crown. Then one day, he founds out his idea is starting to develop, grow, and transform into something amazing!  Here the boy realizes that the golden egg with a crown has the potential to change the world and sees the positive impact he can even make.

Inspiration to Take Action on Ideas

First of all, the book inspired me to take more risks in my personal and professional life. I had been too afraid to take risks or pursue my passions, fearing failure and rejection. So I started saying “yes” to new opportunities and pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

But I reminded myself of the lessons I had learned from “What Do You Do With an Idea?” – that taking risks is necessary for growth and progress, and that even if I didn’t have everything figured out, I could take small steps towards my goal. The story is always a powerful reminder for me that ideas are not meant to be kept locked away in our heads, but are meant to be shared and acted upon.

The Importance of Persistence and Collaboration

Secondly, success doesn’t happen overnight, and it can be discouraging when you encounter obstacles along the way. 

Through the book, I started to see my ideas as a seed that could be planted and cultivated, rather than random thoughts that popped into my head. This shift in perspective helped me to take my ideas more seriously and to be more intentional about exploring them further. It takes time to grow.

I also realized that I didn’t have to do it all alone. Seeking support and collaboration from others can be incredibly helpful in pursuing your ideas and dreams. So I reached out to my family and friends for feedback and advice. I also talk to mentors and fellow entrepreneurs for advice and support. I also collaborated with others on projects and initiatives. The results always didn’t come up the way I wished. There were also opinions I didn’t even want to accept.  But, I’ve learned to seek out feedback and advice from others and to never give up on my ideas or myself.

By persisting and collaborating, I started to make a conscious effort to take action on my ideas, no matter how small or insignificant they might seem. And I start realizing a huge difference in my ability to pursue my ideas.

Finding Happiness in Enjoying the Journey

Finally, the biggest lesson I took away from the book was the importance of enjoying the process of pursuing my ideas.  It’s easy to get caught up in achieving success and reaching our goals, but the journey of creating and developing our ideas is just as important.

I now found myself enjoying the journey more than the result. I’m learning and growing in ways that I never had before, and I am so grateful for the experience. 

The book reminded me that the journey of pursuing our dreams is just as important as the result.

From Doubt to Belief: Impact on My Approach to Ideas

Finally, reading “What Do You Do With an Idea?” had a significant impact on my creative process.

As a female who is almost reaching 50, and was struggling with self-doubt and uncertainty, the short simple story reflected my circumstances. I felt a sense of hope and inspiration. Despite being written for a younger audience, the story is such a powerful reminder of the value of ideas and the importance of having the courage to pursue them.

I found myself thinking differently about my ideas. Instead of dismissing them as silly or unimportant, I started to see them as valuable and worth exploring further. I began to approach my creative work with a new sense of curiosity and openness, rather than fear and self-doubt.

I often struggled to implement my ideas. I finally realized I shouldn’t focus solely on the finished product, I began to see the writing process as a way of nurturing and growing my ideas. I started to embrace the messiness and imperfection of the drafting process, seeing it as a necessary step in the journey toward creating something meaningful. I began writing down my ideas in a notebook and brainstorming ways to bring them to life. I started sharing my ideas with trusted family and friends and asking for their feedback and support. And I started taking concrete steps to turn my ideas into finished pieces of writing, rather than just letting them languish as half-formed thoughts.

I would highly recommend “What Do You Do With an Idea?” to anyone who is struggling with self-doubt or uncertainty about their creative work.  Whether you’re a writer, artist, musician, or simply someone with ideas they want to bring to life, this simple book offers a powerful message about the value of ideas and the importance of believing in yourself.  

So the next time you have an idea, ask yourself: “What do I do with it?” 

The answer may surprise you!