The Start | Write It Down

When you have a Eureka moment, the first thing you should do is write it down. There are many reasons for this, they are as follows:

First, on writing something down you get to see whether it is blatantly stupid. A discussion with friends about e-cat-sweaters.com can be full of laughter but could still offer the promise of some potential. A written down business plan involving modeling and knitting for cats -- not so much.

Second, writing preserves an idea that can later be lost. There is a special graveyard for unwritten ideas. Keep yours from going there. Write them. This may involve carrying an HPDA or a Moleskine with you wherever you go, it may involve grabbing cocktail napkins and writing on them immediately -- if looking eccentric is a concern, your ideas are probably not worth writing down.

Third, writing is the first step to actualization. The written word is more formalized and more ready to be analyzed, to be cut, to be pasted, to be changed and modified selectively until you end up with what you want. Writing serves a function of sharpening vague ideas, and more, turning ideas into plans.

There are more reasons. But the general point is: Write down your ideas.