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Has this ever happened to you? You get a new idea. You're all excited. You share your idea with someone near and dear to you and you hear, "Oh, that will never work," or "I knew someone who tried that once and it was a complete disaster."
People are often ready to rain on others' parades, especially those they love the most. I don't know if it stems from a desire to protect from failure or just a projection of their own fears, but people often tamp out others' enthusiasm and think it's a favor.
Recently I've taken a different approach. When someone comes to me with a new idea, I don't rain on their parade. I throw sunshine on it. I look for the good in their idea and how it can help people. I encourage them to pursue it, knowing that they're likely to grow from the experience regardless of the outcome. After all, it's often through mistakes and failures that we learn the most.
Consider this - a system of support is a major determinant of success for people trying to make a major change like lose weight or start their own business. Success is a social activity. While you think you might be protecting someone by pointing out the things that could go wrong with their endeavor, you are probably overlooking all the things that could go wrong if they fail to make a necessary change.
The next time someone approaches you with the beginnings of an idea, notice what is right about their idea and if it isn't dangerous, immoral or illegal, encourage them to give it a go. You never know where their idea could lead. Throw some sunshine around and see what happens.
© 2011 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved
Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, a free monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com
