I’m just about to finish listening to the “Making Ideas Happen” audiobook, and wanted to share my review and a few nice ideas I can highlight from it.

Though the title of this book could suggest that it’s subject is related to procrastination, just like the other two books I reviewed last month (The Now Habit and Eat That Frog), this one is focused on challenges one face while trying to bring an idea to reality, what not always is related to procrastination. Bootstrapping an idea isn’t easy, and this book brings some nice suggestions to motivate and inspire you on how to do so.

Prior and Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

(The 6 Ps) – Just thought of my triathlon challenge, and wondered if I could cross the line without prior and proper preparation. The answer is a clear and bold NO WAY. Nobody can undertake a triathlon without Prior and Proper preparation, and most people who would dare to endeavor in doing so, would fail miserably. If you can’t swim, and don’t get prepared for that, or you’re not used to pedal or running, you’ll fall way too short. During my training to get prepared for my first triathlon, I tried to jog for the first time some mere 2.5 km (1.5 mi) and all I could deliver was 1 km (0.6 mi). Since this is part of my prior preparation for a triathlon, it is ok to fail short. If I didn’t have this before, and went straight to a triathlon would be pretty much my performance there. Same will happen with whatever thing you set to do in life.

Prior and Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

Towards the end of the book, learned another concept on how we’re naturally critics and proficient in finding mistakes. One could play the whole String Quartet No. 14 from Beethoven and yet, if in the middle you miss a movement, people will remember it better than your other well performed movements of the 40 minutes quartet.

Criticism mitigates our capability of appreciating what is good.

At the other hand, compliments improve our capability of recognizing what is good among the bad things and situations, and encourages the receiving party to get more creative. Life is less bitter when we learn to appreciate and recognize what is good, and have good judgement to set apart what is bad that makes good things feel unpleasant.