Collaborate For Growth

If you never share your ideas with others, you run the risk of missing out on valuable feedback and ideas that can make a massive impact on where those ideas go and what they may ultimately manifest into. Fear of being ridiculed, a lack of confidence, not wanting to have your idea “stolen,” or even fear of having actually to bring your idea to life can keep your ideas tucked away in your mind or maybe your journal.

I’ve learned and witnessed how collaborating with others can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas, help in spreading your message, and even a suggestion that can take your idea to a whole new level…by incorporating others, your best idea can become great.

Last night at dinner with some of my professional peers, I began sharing my vision for these Daily Notes, the Keep Pursuing Series, LifeDesign+ at RLS Wealth, and the resurgence of my podcast in the coming weeks with an advisor I’ve known of for a few years and finally met in person earlier this summer. He shared with me that he was actually working with some of his clients in a similar way that I am with LifeDesign+--I knew I wasn’t the only person blending life coaching with financial planning, but I didn’t personally know anyone doing it as intensely as I am and plan to continue to. Now, I have a like-minded advisor to trade ideas, best practices, and can lean on as the relationship grows.

If I didn’t share, I would have never learned that we have similar visions.

And, not only did I find someone who I believe will become a much closer friend rather than a professional acquaintance, but he also gave me a tremendous idea for a creative project I’m working on. I’m turning each Keep Pursuing talk into spoken word (poetry), and I wrote my first one on the plane yesterday. I shared with him the idea and the title of the poem, and he made a very small suggestion that is going to take it to the next level.

My first spoken word poem will now be significantly better because I shared it with him.

Collaboration doesn’t have to mean joining forces with someone to start a business or having a formal agreement with others.

Collaboration doesn’t even have to do with business.

Collaboration is just sharing ideas with others and being willing to receive feedback with an open mind, along with providing feedback in return to them, which applies to anything in life.

Earlier this week, I wrote how we shouldn’t hoard our money; we should allow it to flow (once we have certain financial foundations in place), and the same is true for our ideas and goals. You never know what ideas you will get, connections that can be made, or help you will receive once you share what you’re building, working towards, or passionate about.

But, you do know what you’ll get if you never share…nothing.

See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,

JC