“We think good ideas to death, when we should be acting them to life.”

Brian G. Jett

Brian G. Jett, the author of the quote “We think good ideas to death, when we should be acting them to life” offers a powerful reminder for anyone working on new ideas.

His words highlight a common challenge, overthinking. No matter how great an idea is, it’s useless if we spend too much time analyzing and perfecting it, instead of taking action.

Overthinking often holds entrepreneurs back. Many get stuck trying to make an idea perfect before moving forward.

But the truth is, waiting for the "perfect" moment often means missing out on real opportunities. While it’s important to carefully plan, over-analyzing leads to inaction, and nothing happens when you don’t take that first step.

Ideas are full of potential, but they can lose their spark if we don’t act quickly enough. The longer we wait, the harder it becomes to stay excited about the idea. In fact, many successful entrepreneurs realize that the sooner you bring an idea into the world, the sooner you can test it, improve it, and watch it grow. Ideas need action to come to life.

One way to move forward is by starting small.

Rather than waiting until everything is perfect, focus on creating a basic version of your idea, often called a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This allows you to test your idea with minimal risk. An MVP gives you the chance to learn from real feedback and make adjustments. Remember, the key is not to aim for perfection right away, but to improve step-by-step based on what you learn.

Take Airbnb as an example. The company didn’t launch with the polished platform we know today. Its founders started by renting air mattresses in their apartment, just to see if people would be interested. From there, they learned what worked and what didn’t, and grew into the global brand we know now. Their success wasn’t about having the perfect plan; it was about acting on an idea and adjusting along the way.

One of the biggest challenges in taking action is the fear of failure.

Many entrepreneurs hesitate to move forward because they worry about what might go wrong. But failure isn’t something to be feared, it’s part of the learning process. Acting on your idea, even if it doesn’t succeed immediately, teaches you lessons that overthinking never will. Inaction is the real enemy, not failure.
It’s also important to remember that acting on an idea doesn’t mean sticking to it rigidly. Once you’ve taken that first step, be open to feedback and willing to make changes. The business world is always changing, and being flexible is key to success. Entrepreneurs who adjust their ideas based on what they learn are more likely to turn a good idea into a successful one.

The real message in Jett’s quote is simple: don’t let overthinking stop you from acting. Planning and thinking have their place, but at some point, you have to take the leap. Great ideas don’t come to life through endless analysis—they grow when you act on them. Even if the path isn’t clear, it’s the action that sets things in motion.

Entrepreneurship is about balancing thought with action. If you overthink and never take that first step, your idea stays in your head, never becoming something real. The entrepreneurs who succeed are those who move beyond their doubts and take action. Jett’s words remind us that the key to bringing ideas to life isn’t perfect planning, but the courage to act.

When you have your next big idea, remember: don’t wait for perfection.
Take that first step, no matter how small. The world doesn’t need more ideas stuck in your mind—it needs your ideas in action.

And keep in mind, success isn’t guaranteed, but doing nothing guarantees failure. Act now, refine later, and watch your ideas grow!

Ideas Trading Center (ITC) is an American company bringing to market a patent-pending, easy-to-use, platform that allows idea generators to sell their new, non-obvious, and useful ideas directly and confidentially to idea reviewers and/or buyers (www.IdeasTradingCenter.com).