Capturing the Moment: Not All Ideas Start on A Napkin

By Keith Sherman, Business Development at Swartz and Associates

When you have an idea, how do you capture it in the moment? Do you jot it on a Post-it^® note, napkin, whiteboard, or type on your phone? Maybe you keep a notepad on your nightstand. Or what happens when that idea happens mid-shower?

I love a good ole pencil with a legal pad or notebook, I might even doodle a bit on it as well. Many people record their thoughts on their phone. We all have different ways of capturing an idea and the key is not letting it slip away. It might just become the next big thing, make someone’s life better or find its way to the trash, physically or electronically.

Sure, there are instances that you go back to that note and wonder what on earth you were thinking. Yet more often, it inspires a meaningful idea and marks a moment in time or provides thoughts for future exploration.

Regardless of your method, it all comes down to the content created. Is it relevant? Does it make the person smile, teach a lesson, spark a thought, or ignite a debate?

Once you’ve captured that thought or idea, take a moment to refine it (so when you go back you know what you meant!), explore its potential, and determine how it can make an impact. Whether small or significant, every idea deserves a chance to evolve and make its mark despite what you wrote it on.

Write on!