When to act on an idea

I don't know about you, but as an entrepreneur I always have an idea brewing in my head. Sometimes they're great ideas, like the time I decided to start a business. Others, not so much. We really could have done without the time I decided to code our own website. We've, since, hired amazing developers that, unlike ourselves, are actually good at it. Designers should never code. Ever.

The gray area here is defining when it is a passing thought and when it is something in which you should invest your time and energy. Here are a few things I evaluate to differentiate these two:

1. Does it keep appearing? As the above illustration states, if you can't stop thinking about it, don't stop working for it. Ideas don't have to be small to be obtainable. 
2. Does it make you tick? When you think about your idea, does it excite you? Does your heart start to flutter and your eyes light up?
3. Who does it affect? Does this idea improve your life or someone else's? Will it have a positive impact on those around you?
4. Are you ready to dedicate yourself? Ideas are only passing thoughts until they are put into motion. Are you ready to commit?

Essentially, I have a general rule by which I live. If it doesn't scare me a little, it's not a good idea. Keep in mind there's a difference between feeling intimidated and having that gut feeling that something is not right. If I can't stop thinking about an idea and I get a fluttering feeling about it, chances are it's an idea to act upon. 

What idea have you been sitting on that is begging for you to breathe life into?


(image via kushandwizdom.tumblr.com)