4 Steps To Turn Your Idea Into A Reality

By David Schnurman

Transforming from a thinker to a doer is the most important step into turning an idea into a reality. I think all entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can relate to this at some point. Most people who have that ambition constantly think about a handful of ideas that could be the next million dollar company or product.

Let's run through an example of a typical scenario someone may go through.

David is the father of two children and realizes that where ever he goes he can't find any interesting children's books or games that teach how to think and act like an entrepreneur. He has a unique idea for a fun game and book that allows kids to pretend that they start their own company, take risks, make mistakes, and learn how to be a successful entrepreneur. At first David keeps this idea in his head, he eventually jots it down on paper and every so often tells his friends about it. David's problem is that every time he thinks about his idea, he thinks that it will be too difficult to accomplish. He has never written a book or created any type of children's game. He also thinks the competition is too tough and he won't be able to break into the industry. Lastly, because David is afraid of someone else stealing his 'great idea', he does not mention it most of the time.

So what should David do to turn his idea into a reality? It is all a matter of taking simple proactive steps that will snowball into larger ones. David finally decided to start taking them.

Below is the list of the first four steps he followed to start turning his idea into a reality:

Step 1. First thing he did was to talk to as many people as possible (especially parents) about his idea. The more he talked about it, the more it started becoming a reality on its own. Many people he spoke with not only gave tremendous feedback, but were able to point him to someone else who could help. Also, once he started speaking with others, he realized the possibility of someone stealing his idea was slim. One note about talking to others, there will always be people who tell you your idea is bad and bring negativety. While this is regrettable, it is a right of passage that all successful entrepreneurs overcome. While it may be difficult, don't let this negativety prevent you from achieving your own success.

Step 2. Research your idea proactively. The first step for David was Google. There was a wealth of information about the toy and children's educational industry for David to learn about. During this process he started to create folders, both real and virtual, of all the information that he found on this subject. At this stage, organization is key. This was so important in helping David rise above the fog that he originally felt about his idea.

Step 3. David hit the telephone hard. He started calling companies he found during his initial research. He learned what he could about possible competitors. Also, he contacted individuals who specialized in educational games. They have experience and can hand-hold him through the process, usually for only a small fee and percentage of the royalties.

Step 4. Start. David put together a simple version of his game and a short version of his book. There will be plenty of time for future upgrades and improvements.

The longer you wait to start, the less likely your idea will turn into a reality. Your research will start getting old. You will go back to the routines of your regular life, and might even start believing some of that negativity. So start doing today. Start the wheels of ideas moving and keep pushing.