Are you a dreamer or an inventor?
Blog by Edward Ayres
I once heard Les Brown say, “If you develop your talents, I guarantee you that you will never be without. Your gifts will take you places that will literally amaze you.”
I believe the same is true when it comes to pursuing your inventions.
So, a saddening stat is 95 out of 100 people with a product idea will never do anything with it; except talk about it, dream about it, and wonder what if. They’re dreamers, not inventors.
From my professional experiences, there are specific characteristics and tendencies that separate the successful inventor from the day dreamer.
Dreamers:
First, like an inventor, a dreamer has an idea, often a “big one.” When the idea manifest in their mind they get filled with a momentary hyperexcitement, which is usually followed by visions of success, recognition and grandeur.
The next step for the dreamer is to tell their friends and family about the idea. Of course, they swear them to secrecy because this time, the idea is a sure winner – it’s revolutionary. You see dreamers love to talk about their ideas. And they love to live in the someday.
Unfortunately, people who live in the “someday” rarely find a good time to get started. You can spot these dreamers by the words they use. “I’ll work on my invention when I have more time.” “When I have more money.” “When the kids are older.” “When football season ends.” “Today is beautiful, I better wet a hook or hit a ball before I get to work.” Zig Ziglar refers to this as getting cooked in the squat. I’ll tell you there isn’t a perfect time to start other than right now.
Now if a dreamer gets off the couch and takes action it usually results in chaos, haphazardness, quickly extinguished zeal, and regret. Because the dreamer didn’t bother to learn the ropes first, they’ll waste time and money, and tuck tail at the very first “no.” I’ve seen it happen.
However, most dreamers will never get that far because fear prevents them from taking action. The fear that their great idea might not make it, and then they’d have to stop dreaming about it.
Inventors:
Inventors are different. They not only see a problem and create a solution for it; they have the hope in tomorrow that fuels them with the power they need today! What’s that hope? Eventual product success.
Yes, inventors, like dreamers, have an idea. Yes, they get excited about it but it’s a real excitement, not one that can be quickly extinguished with a simple rejection.
Inventors know that having the idea is just the first step so they commit to taking the second step, and then the third and so on.
Inventors will work on their products, they’ll nurture their ideas, and just as importantly; they’ll develop themselves to succeed in the invention industry.
I believe commitment is the fuel that leads to action, and action is the architect of invention success. However, taking action doesn’t mean chaotically throwing mud on the wall and hoping some sticks. That’s a waste, not a plan.
Action means empowering yourself through education, goal setting, planning and proper execution, and not immediately pouring money into patents, prototypes and production.
Additionally, inventors take invention education seriously. They know dreaming about success won’t get them there, so they learn how to achieve it.
Empowered by hope and education inventors can then determine a route to the marketplace that’s best for them and their product. That’s setting a goal. But a goal without a plan is just a dream so the inventor understands the need for a course of action plan.
And more importantly, the inventor understands the key part of any plan is implementing it because the best plan in the world won’t work, if you won’t.
As an inventor moves from idea, to product, to presenting to potential customers they always stay professional and they persevere. An inventor doesn’t like to hear no, but it doesn’t extinguish their excitement or their hope, as an inventor understands that each “no” may just put them closer to a “yes.”
In my professional opinion, the difference between an inventor and a dreamer is an inventor takes actionable steps to develop their product, to develop themselves, and to achieve their goal.
Are you a dreamer or an inventor? What action do you need to take right now?
