[3 min read] Taking a moment to write down the embers of an idea, and returning to it within a day, can make the difference between slowly roasting and going up in flames.
“I have all the ideas…I just seem to lose them before I can write them down. I’m getting the kids ready for school or folding the laundry, I have an idea, and I tell myself I’ll just write it down later. When I do return to the idea…it’s lost and only the shell remains.”
Here’s a little secret.
Stop…Drop…and Write it Down
I’m writing the first draft of this essay at 3:30 in the morning. I woke up, tossed and turned a bit, and finally decided to shuffle into my kitchen to write this essay. Without coffee. And I am not someone who normally works at this hour. The idea started forming in my mind yesterday evening, after an especially powerful session with one of my coaching clients, and so here I am writing while the iron is hot.
I’ve learned the hard way that ideas come and go quickly, and when you feel the embers warming your mind just stop what you’re doing and write enough to shepherd the idea forward and onto the page.
Like takeout from your favorite Chinese restaurant, a warm and spicy idea will last a day or two in the fridge before it spoils. The trick is to write just enough down so that when you reheat the idea, the full depth and flavor returns.
