Possibility Thinking - Managing IDEAS Effectively

Trevor writes:

Robert Schuller wrote a fantastic book called 'Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!', which opens one's mind to the awesome power of managing ideas effectively.

Says Schuller: 'Impossibility thinkers are people who instinctively react negatively to a possibility-laden idea. They impulsively look for reasons why it can't be done. They quickly abort an idea and forget about it.'

'The possibility thinker looks at every idea to see if it has possibilities. If it does, he takes an option out on the idea. He does not let it slip by.'

Through his own personal experiences, he learnt to' Never underestimate the value of an idea. Every positive idea has within it the potential for success if it is managed properly...' and came up with the Ten Commandments of Possibility Thinking, as summarised below:

1. Never reject a possibility because you see something wrong with it!

Says Schuller: 'There is something wrong with every good idea. Don't throw away a suggestion when you see a problem. Instead, isolate the negative from the possibility. Neutralise the negative. Exploit the possibility, and sublimate the negative. Don't ever let negatives kill the positive potential that is within an opportunity.'

2. Never reject a possibility because you won't get the credit!

'God can do tremendous things through the person who doesn't care who gets the credit. Decisions must never be based on ego needs. They must be based on human needs and market pressures that transcend your own desires.

Decide today: Would you rather satisfy your ego - or enjoy the fruits of success?'

3. Never reject a possibility because it's impossible!

'Almost every idea is impossible when it is first born. Possibility thinkers take great ideas and turn the impossibilities into possibilities. That's progress!'

4. Never reject a possibility because your mind is already made up!

'People who never change their minds are either perfect or stubborn. I'm not perfect and neither are you. I'd rather change plans while still in port, than to set sail and sink at sea.'

5. Never reject an idea because it's illegal!

'You might be able to get the law changed. A lot of laws on the books today need to be changed.'

6. Never reject an idea because you don't have the money, manpower, muscle, or months to achieve it!

'Make the commitment to do what's great, then solve the problems. A successful person has very few resources, except the capacity to take an idea and marshal stronger and smarter people around him to pull it off.'

7. Never reject an idea because it will create conflict!

'You can never develop a possibility without creating problems. Every idea worth anything is bound to be rejected by people who don't go along with it.'

8. Never reject an idea because it's not your way of doing things!

'Learn to accommodate. Prepare to compromise. Maintain a balance between the tension of an opportunity that demands exploitation and the limitations of the resources available at the moment.'

9. Never reject an idea because it might fail!

'Every idea worth anything has failure potential within it. There is risk in everything. You never reject an idea because there's some risk involved. You isolate the risk, insulate it, and eventually eliminate it.'

10. Never reject an idea because it's sure to succeed!

Schuller levels some strong words at fellow Christians who overplay the humility card: 'To choose poverty instead of prosperity, failure instead of success, low achievement instead of top-of-the-ladder achievement, simply for the sake of being humble, is not super-Christian. It's dumb. Only successful people can help people who are failing. Only winners will survive to give food to the hungry.'

He quotes Rich de Vos - president of the Amway Corporation: "The poor cannot help the poor."

So where did Robert Schuller get The Ten Commandments for Possibility Thinkers?

'All ten came from the Bible. All ten come from Jesus Christ - The World's Greatest Possibility Thinker. He said: "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matt. 17:20)'

Regards
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790 - www.innercircleforum.com
trevor@innercircleforum.com