(Based on excerpts from the forthcoming
International Version of Tayo Solagbade's 25
Avoidable Mistakes No One Will Warn You About In Starting
Your Own Business)
As far back as I can remember, I have
always had an intense desire to explore and investigate the
way things are, with a view to discovering what new thing(s)
could be developed. This usually meant that I sometimes found
a need to challenge traditional ways of thinking and/or doing
things.
That offended
many people.
Unfortunately (for them), I was never
someone who feared confrontation. I'm not sure how this will
come across to the reader, but if I were to be honest, I would
say I usually feel better, and perform at my peak, when I
know that most people around me do not agree with what I’m
trying to do. I honestly often get the motivation to do something
which others say is not possible, but which I believe in,
just from the knowledge that they don’t think I’ll
succeed! :-)
How does this relate to worrying that
someone will steal your idea? A lot I tell you! The truth
is that whenever I expressed my new ideas to those around,
most people simply reacted by disagreeing. Few would try to
really consider what I had said/proposed in an objective light.
In fact, some would say they understood me, and then proceed
to try and make me “see” why what I was proposing
was wrong!
So, you see, when you come up with
YOUR idea for a business, oftentimes, only you might see the
idea in the way you see it. No one else (or VERY few others)
can possibly see it exactly the way you see it - and even
those who see what YOU see would NOT be capable of thinking
about implementing it EXACTLY the way you intend. That's
where - and why - you'll always have the edge!
Evidence that the above is true abounds
in society, and even influences story lines used in movies
- which in truth, quite often mimic real life occurrences
in society. For instance, the "evil genius" in a
movie, who wants to own the secret of the new formula being
developed by the "famous" chemist finds it necessary
to kidnap the latter and force him to work in a hidden fully
equipped laboratory until a breakthrough is recorded.
Very rarely will you find a person
who has a bias for "ideas theft" willing to expend
"intellectual glucose" to independently arrive at
the potentially valuable end s/he suspects another person
is aiming to arrive at. Such people are just too mentally
lazy - and are always on the lookout for shortcuts to getting
what they desire.
That's also why they CANNOT steal YOUR
idea. Even when you hand all that you know to them, they still
would not be able to take it and run to the finish line. The
simple reason is: they lack the unique insight into
the subject, and would really struggle to understand it the
same way YOU do, talk less of implementing it the way YOU
would. The implication:
they would not be able to get the results you could. In essence,
they cannot really "steal" your ideas successfully
from you!
The reason why the foregoing happens
is that you are unique as a human being. And depending on
how well you have trained your mind to work, you will be able
to take your idea and implement it in a way that only you
could possibly conceive.
Yes, it is true that this line of thinking
or argument is not fully applicable to all situations. In
certain cases, it is logical that the first person to get
into the marketplace might reap the greatest rewards. However,
it is also true that many times
someone has entered into an existing market, and carved a
very profitable niche by doing what others are doing a bit
differently, and in a way that is difficult to copy.
An example is Fred Smith’s overnight delivery service
idea - Federal Express (Fed Ex).
As I said earlier on in this article,
that's where - and why - you have
the edge!
So, stop worrying that someone is lurking
around trying to steal your ideas. Don't fret when you learn
that someone is trying to launch a new product or service
that (appears to be) similar to, or exactly the same as that
you are about to start. They cannot think about(or implement)
it exactly the way you would.
By all means take every possible precautionary
measure to protect your work from prying eyes, and maintain
as much confidentiality as possible about it for as long as
you deem necessary. However, DO NOT let the thought or fear
of others doing something similar to what you are doing "paralyse"
you.
Remember at all times, that except
they can gain direct access to the thoughts that you have
about your work so as to discover how best to go about developing
and implementing your idea, they CANNOT possibly do it the
way you intend to, or as well as you would.
You owe it to yourself to develop and
implement your unique ideas to the fullest possible extent.
Don't deny yourself - and the rest of society - of the opportunity
of adopting a new way of thinking and/or doing things, that
could change all our lives for the better, possibly even forever.
So take action to start that new business today, or work harder
to develop that new idea or invention. It might just be the
next revolution the world is waiting for.
FINAL WORDS:
If you still have any doubts about whether you have what it
takes to take your idea to great heights, maybe the words
of Thomas Edison can encourage you to believe more in yourself:
"If
we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally
astound ourselves." - THOMAS A. EDISON 
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