Practical Brilliance

Thinking of brilliance conjures up dreams of great things. Dreams. Are your dreams realistic? I’ll bet you can easily find someone to tell you that your dreams are not possible. You’re too old. You’re too young. You’re not smart enough. You’re too heavy. You’re too short. You don’t have enough experience. There is a lot of negative energy out there. We need the dream as motivation to counter this negative energy. However, the naysayer can be motivating as well. The questions about our dreams force us to seek practical answers to all of the questions regarding our idea. A good idea needs practical, realistic approaches.

As a keynote speaker for large audiences talking about Personal Brilliance, I am frequently labeled a motivational speaker, which I’m not quite comfortable with, although I certainly want to motivate and inspire people. However, the best comment I could ever receive from audience members in my speeches goes something like, “Very practical information, as well as inspiring.” Practical doesn’t mean boring. Inspiration without a practical slant only creates a temporary positive feeling. The practical components allow implementation of the ideas. So, I would consider the label “practical” a compliment.

I searched my computer for the word practical finding the word was used in 1,612 of my documents. This word is the linchpin to the definition of innovation. Innovation is the practical application of creativity into something that has an impact. If you don’t have a practical solution you just have a good idea.

Goals Plus Values Equal Action Steps

Pursuing a goal that's in conflict with your value system is kind of like trying to squeeze your feet into shoes that are a size too small. You may be able to hobble around in them for awhile, but it will only be a matter of time before the discomfort is so great, you'll have no other logical choice but to remove the shoes. The bottom line here is to get real with yourself. Is your goal realistic based on your value system? Before you can set and work toward achieving your goals, it's essential to be very clear about your own values and beliefs.

Initiative

A key to practical solutions is initiative. The power of initiative is a critical catalyst for your personal brilliance along with awareness, curiosity, and focus. You need initiative to bring your dreams to life, but it's also necessary in order to start the innovation process. Without the motivation to amplify your awareness, explore your curiosities, or expand your focus, you probably won't even make it to the drawing board, let alone come up with a new idea or solution.

Intensifying Your Initiative

1. Give Yourself Permission to Decide for Yourself
   Waiting for others to join you in your initiative can slow the wheels of innovation and drag out the process.
   
2. Make Choices and Act on Them
   Keep in mind that you don't have to come up with the best possible decision, you just have to come up with one way that will work.
   
3. Don't Wait to Be Inspired; Get Inspired!
   Take responsibility for feeding positive input into your mental process.
   
4. Increase Your Accountability
   Practice increasing your initiative by stepping up to the plate and volunteering to lead projects.
   
5. Live By Your Word
   Make a firm commitment to yourself that you will keep your promises, no matter what.

 

 

 

Good Judgment

Being practical shouldn’t dampen our creative spirit. Mainly we’re talking about possessing and exercising good judgment. When faced with alternatives it is important to think through the problem, evaluating all the potential outcomes. Only then can we choose the best course. A tie-breaker when conflicting paths emerge is to go with the most practical solution. It’s all about action.

Take the First Step

Taking action on goals and ideas that are important to you increases your self-confidence, improves your self-esteem, and has a profound impact on the level of personal power that you have at your disposal. In essence, the more you are actually doing the things you want to do, the better you feel about yourself, and the better others feel about you. Most importantly, taking action leads to a practical solution – one that works for you.

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