Leary Gates » ideas

Thought for the Day – Thomas Edison on Ideas

Leary Gates — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:30:03 +0000

To have a great idea, have a lot of them.”- Thomas Edison

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to think creatively? If you’re like me, you keep a busy schedule, carry a lot of responsibility, and move quickly from one task to the next. It may have been a long time since you’ve taken time just to sit and think. Why not plan some time today conjure up an idea, or two, or even a lot of them? Take it from the man renown for ideas; one of them is bound to be great.

Your thoughts? What would it take to clear the decks (and your mind) and think creatively about your future?

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Thought for the Day – A. Einstein on Ideas

Leary Gates — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:30:52 +0000

The only sure way to avoid making mistakes is to have no new ideas.” – Albert Einstein

Have you been through a cerebral detox yet? I have. Several months after I left a corporate job and set out as an entrepreneur, I discovered something very fascinating. All kinds of ideas, new ways of thinking about business, and new possibilities were coming to mind. My neurons were on fire—a feeling I hadn’t had in years. I realized then that instead of being an agent of change in my work environment, I had become a product of it. I knew too well, for instance, what ideas and recommendations would be accepted within the culture of the company. Unconsciously, I allowed my mind to filter out unacceptable ideas until, eventually, I was nurturing a scant few. It took leaving that environment to become aware of my diminished creative vitality. A cerebral detox in the form of a job change to shake off the old constraints was just what I needed.

Your thoughts? When was the last time you experienced a cerebral detox and how did that affect your creativity?

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Thought for the Day – O.W. Holmes on Ideas

Leary Gates — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:45:30 +0000

Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”- Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

One of my favorite Far Side cartoons depicts a student raising his hand in a classroom, “Mr. Osborne, may I be excused? My brain is full.” There have been times when I’ve felt like that student—so tired of thinking, I need to be excused. But sometimes I wonder if I’m still that exhausted student, wandering the hallways of life on a teacher’s pass. When was the last time I really stretched my mind around a new idea? I think I’ll ponder that thought today and see what new ideas come my way.

Your thoughts? What ideas have really stretched your mind?

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