Stop. Listen. Hear that Idea? - Successful Blog -

It Happens Constantly

I can almost count on it happening. When I’m stuck on how to write something, when I really need some direction on how to frame a concept, I just start listening for one. Sure enough in a day or two, someone will say something.

I was working on the post for Critical Skill 5: Originality — no small task I might add. How do you talk about being original? I did my usual walking and thinking, but most of my way to original thinking is intuitive, hard to explain in words.

I like challenges, but sometimes they make my head hurt. So I put my question to the universe and left myself open to any answer it might bring me. Sure enough, it did within a couple of hours.

Talking About Originality

The question was how to define originality? It’s not any easy thing to put into words, especially when trying to frame it in terms of adding value to ideas. That’s abstract on two levels. Hmmm.

Along comes Steve Remington with a great blog idea, Why My Blog Stinks. I think it’s worth sharing — it’s refreshing, inviting, clever, and for some reason I don’t hate orange when I look at it. So I write a post about it. A conversation starts. A few comments down I start hearing my answer.

Martin Says:
What a novel idea for a blog. Nice one, Steve.

ME Strauss Says:
Yeah, Martin,
ThatÃ¢â¬â¢s exactly what I thought, Kind of fun idea Ã¢â¬â isnÃ¢â¬â¢t it?

Martin Says:
Liz,
More than fun, itÃ¢â¬â¢s an original idea, in a sea of Ã¢â¬Åsame old, same oldÃ¢â¬? blogs.

ItÃ¢â¬â¢s one thing getting all this advice about how to do it right, this one gives an insight into what others have done wrong.

[I snipped a bit here. Steve blushed and said thank you.]

Martin Says:
Hey there Steve,

Is there anything original these days? Who cares. YouÃ¢â¬â¢ve taken a germ of an idea and made something of it.

Thanks for your interest in my blog. ItÃ¢â¬â¢s still in launch phase (ie: I have 25 things on my To Do list for it) – so thereÃ¢â¬â¢s so much more to come.

Did you hear it? Martin said it.

YouÃ¢â¬â¢ve taken a germ of an idea and made something of it.

Add the word unique and I have my definition.

I can’t help but wonder how long the conversation might have been, if I had asked Martin straight out to define originality. . . .

Here’s the Trick

Like I said, answers like these come to me all of the time, when I know what I’m listening for. Great ideas are the best promotion for any blog . . . I listen for ideas in every conversation.
The trick is to tell yourself what you’re listening for. Tune your radar to a certain subject, like I did to the subject of originality. Then your mind will be sensitive to the topic when it comes up and you’ll hear what you need to hear. It’s that simple.

Heard any good ideas lately?

–ME “Liz” Strauss