A good while ago, I thought up an idea of how we could welcome the freshmen to the University. I had been added to my fellowship’s page and they were requesting that we seniors pitch ideas of what we could possibly do to help the freshers with their screening. I was asked if I would be around and I doubted my availability. But I made a mistake. I did not share the idea in my head.

The following week, as I made my way to my department, to oversee something important, there it stood, in broad daylight, my unpronounced vision, in motion, and flourishing. I was flabbergasted, flawlessly stupefied and confounded.

A part of me wanted to walk up to them and ask if they could read minds and how they read mine, got this idea and executed it with such immediacy. Another part of me was just sad – there goes your brilliant idea that you failed to share, it taunted.

Who was to blame? Me

What was the idea? To get cold water stationed at strategic places for these freshmen. See, I was a part of the system. I once was that freshmen and I knew the trouble that registering and screening entailed in my alma mater.

So, the idea was somewhat perfect. I saw the people carrying out the idea, even sharing disposable cups. I hadn’t thought of that. It was like an extra but I was sure if I had put it out, maybe someone would have thought of it.

What do I do next time? Get it out!

Your ideas are not exclusive

Two days ago, I saw a friend lament on his WhatsApp status about an idea of his that Uber had just carried out. No, they did not steal it. Someone thought of it and since they had the resources to execute it, they did just that. The damage is done but we were not rid of a chance for him to teach us the importance of getting it out.

A great poet friend of mine once saw my note or was it vice versa now, and we both exclaimed at the thoughts of similar verses with the same thought pattern we both penned, in our different space, at different times, before we ever met. Okay, don’t get me wrong, the lines were not spelled out word for word by both of us but the essence of the poem, the theme, the focus was the same.

These were pieces we have never shown each other until that time. Now, my friend would have fed that to his audience or maybe not. I might have done the same or maybe not as well. Someone who needed that message would have gotten it from either of us if seen.

Get those ideas out!

Now, what is the summary of my boring epistle? You would ask. This is it. That what are the odds of about ninety-nine other people thinking about your genius idea? POSSIBLE. VERY POSSIBLE. For all I care, nine hundred and ninety-nine people may have the same idea running through their minds.

However, the execution and delivery might differ but it would serve the same purpose. So, get it out. A great man once said, “We miss 100 percent of the shots we do not take.” I say, if you do not take it (a chance, an opportunity, a lifetime dream), don’t even call it a shot.

Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.