Page 14 - 2016 MARCH issue
P. 14

PERSPECTIVES

Idea Germination

by Shannon Milliman

    Have you ever had an idea      there are ‘no wrong ideas,’ allow  focused on refining our leader-
that catapulted itself into        the muses, spiritual enlighten-    ship and communication skills
your mind and you thought,         ment or inner power to trust       and exemplifying these skills in
“That would be a great speech      you with these ideas.    When      the world inspiring others. 
idea.”    You then swiftly went    they begin to see you will record
along with your prior activi-      these ideas, you will be granted         At times, though, we fail
ties and nigh forgot that said     more ideas.                        to maximize the potential of
stroke of brilliance?  The idea                                       our day-to-day experiences
that should have“Veni, Vidi,             When you struggle with       and their power to trans-
Vici-d”  never quite reached
that brilliant conquering          “What shall I give a speech                   form.    Writing down
phase.    It came as possibility:  about?” you will pattern your-                  fleeting ideas is
your mind synapsis started         self to track back through your                  the first step in
the work.   They contemplated      notebook and develop the                           reclaiming your
the potential and processed        right idea for this moment.  As                    power to discern
what connections you would         Toastmasters we are drawn                         wisdom worthy of
creatively channel ….and the       toward expression, creativity                    sharing. It is this
phone rang, a project became       and inspiration. We attend                      way of thinking that
due or another load of laundry     meetings often hoping to fill                  elevates the mundane
was started and the casualty of    our wells with some of this                    and reveals the
all this priority management       and to in turn, do the same for
always tends to be your fleeting   our fellow toastmasters as we          remarkability in everyday
ideas.                             embark upon another week               life.   There is unspeakable
                                                                          wonder in something as
    A simple practice can                                                 small as a seed sprouting
begin to transform your                                               just as there is in the day to
discipline to germinate and                                           day moments: burnt toast,
eventually develop ideas worth                                        driving the wrong way on a one
sharing.  This will allow more                                        way street or misinterpreting
of your ideas to be considered                                        an accent might have great
and given opportunity to be                                           potential to uplift.   You do not
developed into concepts that                                          need to have survived disease,
can change and motivate your-                                         experienced ultimate betrayal
self and others.  The practice is                                     or climbed Mt Kilimanjaro
common. It uses common tools:                                         to find a human, relatable
a note book (the same notebook)                                       message.  Forming a speech can
or your cell phone and common                                         be powerful executed because
sense.  With those two things all                                     you honored an idea filtered
you must do is jot the thought,                                       to you at the right time. Honor
idea, dream, funny moment,                                            your thoughts as seeds.  Record
inspiration down. Do it all the                                       them.
time. Write ALL of the ideas that                                         Shannon Milliman joined
come to you in the same place.                                        Toastmasters in 2013 and is a
Similar to when we brainstorm                                         membrer of Competitive Speakers
and we accept in this phase                                           PDX.

14 Volume 2 Issue 8 - MARCH 2016
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