I've Had Hundreds of 'Aha Moments' That Helped Me Generate Million-Dollar Brand Ideas. Here's What I Did to Capitalize On Them. You probably have good ideas, but where most people go wrong is they don't recognize how great the idea can be or how to be great enough to see it through.

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What's the secret to making the most of a great idea? Well, it's pretty simple. I act on them.

It sounds easier said than done, but there is a certain mentality and traits you can develop that will allow you to take advantage of your ideas. I've done it hundreds of times. Here's what I've learned.

Your first mistake: Stop claiming, start doing

How often have you had a great idea and thought, I should do that, and then you don't?

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To make it worse, you then see someone else do it successfully. Now you're beating yourself up and frustrated at what could have been. Your only connection to that great idea is your claim that you had it first.

This is your first mistake. You think bragging that you thought of that idea first shows your ability to produce great ideas, but to someone who knows how to execute and deliver, it merely highlights your inability to act on them.

I've always been baffled by people who have great ideas and then say, "Someone should do that." Yeah, you're right — that someone should be you.

I've learned that when you have a great idea, you need to immediately put effort into making it more than just an idea. I have a good example that helped me learn this lesson.

When I first started living alone — and didn't have my mother around to pick up after me — there was a piece of toilet paper on the floor in my bathroom. I noticed it lying there every day for a week before I realized, If I don't pick that up, it will stay there forever.

That piece of toilet paper is like your ideas. If you don't pick them up, they will stay on the floor forever.

Three steps that help turn ideas into brands

So how did I learn to turn aha moments into multi-million dollar brand ideas? I did — and still do — three very important things.

1. I analyze the idea.

• Why is it a good idea?
• How does it help my current objectives?
• Could it be a better idea than what I'm doing already?
• Does the idea make sense for me?
• Is it the best idea?
• What would it take to make this idea work?
• Can I realistically do this? Do I have the bandwidth?
• Should I do this?
• Why should I do this?
• Who else can benefit from this?

2. I act.

I don't sit around thinking about what-ifs because that has already been determined by step one.

I adopt a mentality that I will turn this idea into an actual product or service. It's easy to put good ideas on the back burner or say, "I'll get to this when I can." But what I do differently — and you should too — is make an executive decision that this is just more than an idea, and that I will keep pressing forward.

3. I learned to master Automatic Resourceful Thinking (ART).

It's important to understand that there are resources around you. It's easy for people to overlook the skills of people close to them — friends, family, etc. These people can assist with your ideas because they don't recognize their value. Everyone thinks they need to connect with the biggest in the game, or the most successful and sought-after figures to help them with their idea. They never look down or around. They only look up, because they assume that's where the help lives.

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If an executive has a big idea, they rarely go to employees beneath them to get intel or an opinion. They typically seek someone on their level or above them to weigh in or help.

This is such an incredibly shortsighted way of thinking. I'll let you in on a secret that most leaders fail to recognize: Most innovative and game-changing ideas are bottled up in the employees you don't take the time to connect with and listen to. There is so much information and insight to extract from them, but they aren't considered or tapped into the way they should be.

When using ART, these are the questions to ask yourself.

• Who can help me?
• What connections do I have to get to a contact I need?
• Who do I know who has done something similar?
• What value do I give them in exchange for helping me?
• What resources do I have to make this work?
• Who have I overlooked who can be resourceful?

This way of thinking is powerful, especially when dealing with potential disasters. When you train your mind to default to resolution mode, you will automatically think of resources that can help you resolve any issue or idea.

You must also learn how to properly follow up with others. There is a fine line between being persistent and being annoying. Once you become annoying, getting returned calls or assistance from those you seek help from is difficult.

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Now put it all together

We all have great ideas, whether we know it or not. However, most don't recognize how great the idea can be, or how to be great enough to see it through.

You can do it. You just fool yourself into believing you don't or that you lack the right connections. You think you don't have the money or it's too hard. These things are excuses most use to keep themselves from feeling like a failure.

Sometimes, it's not the idea that's not great, it's your approach, self-doubt, unrealistic expectations or your overall mentality on bringing it to life that lacks greatness.

Throughout my career, I have seen people come and go or fade away because they didn't have the grit to contend. I've learned that life is pretty straightforward — it's people who make it hard.

You just have to learn that there is a major difference between having a great idea and having a great plan.

Which do you have? Really?

Clinton Sparks is an BIZ Experiences+ contributor. You can find more of his content here.