Think vs Do

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

 Is it better to be a think-er or a do-er? Does it matter?

You know what I have a ton of? Ideas. I have scraps of paper, sticky notes, notebooks and (now that I have a smart phone) voice memos full of ideas.

'Thinker' photo (c) 2011, Søren Storm Hansen - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
I'll get a random thought in my head and if I don't write it down immediately, *poof* it's gone.

I have filled pages with titles like Blog Post Topics, Blog Makeover, Rebranding Ideas, 3 Day Post Ideas, Ad Partnerships and Client Projects. I really like the process of brainstorming, be it to solve a problem or start something from the ground up.

What I'm not so good at, is taking those ideas and turning them into actions. I read somewhere the line that "if you don't act on your ideas someone else will." This is true. My mom was pushing our late dog around in a stroller long before they became trendy. She swears she could have been millionaire. I've had an idea for an app in my head for ages but haven't done anything about it because I have no clue where to start.

'Nike SB Dunk High Premium Skunk' photo (c) 2010, Kevin Wu - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/Maybe I have issues with this because the "doing" part is usually the hardest. I'm not afraid of hard work, but the "doing" is usually not as fun, too. I like the creative process and I have no problem collaborating and sharing. Just last night on a training walk, I told a woman with a great fund raising craft several different ways she can get the word out and sell more of her items. She didn't know some of what I suggested was even possible.

I love that I was able to expose her to new things. She could possibly surpass her fund raising goal because of my suggestions. I walked away feeling really good. I wonder tough, would someone who is a do-er have taken it even a few steps further? What would those steps be? And to what benefit?

Are you a thinker or a do-er? Does a person have to be both? Is there a way to become both if you're only one?

7 comments:

  1. This is so me! Trying to make this the year I put words into action...

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  2. As one who is in career "transition," this post resonated with me quite a bit. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. @Abigail - "put words into action" That's it exactly.

    @Leslie - You're welcome. Thanks for visiting.

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  4. I don't have a creative bone in my body, but I can take someone else's idea and get it going. So I guess I'm a Do-er, though I don't DO very much right now! I wish I was more of a thinker- having the idea is more than half the battle!

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  5. I'm a thinker. I wish I had more "do" in me. I want to be creative...BUT also execute my ideas.
    Toots on the other hand is a little of both. She just told me "I want to make butt pads" (for rollerblading) and she is now in the process of inventing some!

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  6. I am such a thinker. Not sure how to move that into doing on a more consistent basis. Let's brainstorm to figure it out! :)

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  7. @Laural - Sometimes I think it's a chicken and egg thing. Without us thinkers, the do-ers would have nothing to do, but sometimes the do-ers need help fleshing out ideas.

    @Deb - In my head I see your daughter with enough padding that she looks like Vickie Lawrence in Mama's House!

    @Mary - I overthink just about everything. That's a big part of my problem, too.

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