ideas versus obsessions
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“I have no ideas, only obsessions.
Anybody can have ideas.
Ideas have never caused anybody’s downfall.”
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–
Emil Cioran
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I just saw this quote.
I loved it.
What a frickin’ awesome thought.
Especially in today’s world where we talk ad nausea about how anyone can have a ‘good idea.’
Truth?
Not all ideas are created equal.
Truth?
Not all people can come up with good ideas.
The quote suggests an injection of energy and passion and ‘belief’ into an idea … to make it something other than just an … well … idea.
Why is this important?
Because so often we sit in meetings and brainstorm and flippantly toss out ideas. And they are … well … just ideas.
Hollow? Maybe not completely.
Flat? Possibly.
Deep? Rarely … mostly created from some individualistic opinion or belief.
Obsession? Extremely rare.
And that is what differentiates ideas. The depth. There is an obsessive aspect to a great meaningful idea.
Sure.
People can obsess over an idea … and that idea can be crappy.
But if an idea generates obsession among people ?? … yikes. That is a frickin’ good idea.
What a great thought … “Ideas have never caused anybody’s downfall.”
An idea empty of some obsession qualities ain’t gonna rock the world.
And I imagine that is my point.
There are ideas.
And then there are ideas that change us <which means we have an opportunity to change the world>.
Uhm.
Unfortunately … these types of ideas come with a responsibility … a burden as a matter of fact. And not all people are capable of accepting this burden and not all people WANT to assume the responsibility of these types of ideas.
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<a 2012 post about the burden of good ideas:
https://brucemctague.com/the-burden-of-good-ideas >
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To finish up … I will end where I began. 
There are ideas you don’t love with ease … you love with passion.
Some of us desire these types of ideas.
And we obsess over them.
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Written by Bruce
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