… and great ideas are a dime a dozen.
But what about those in which you actually invested personal time and money? The results? What did you learn?
Invested T & M in: That whole hollow surfboard thing…
Results: Good equipment…Expanding others equipment horizons…
Learned: So, so much…About my motivations…my skills…how to build a web site…how what I’ve done has helped people…what makes Swaylocks unique…all that and much more, leading to other esoteric offshoots…
And it just keeps on going…
Well, I’ve been very fortunate to be in a position where we make concepts into reality in my last three jobs. I managed a boat yard that specialized in prepping offshore racing sail boats and high end cruisers. So, I got to be intimately involved in several incredible restorations. Then I worked as a quality control manager at a large powerboat facility. Not as much fun. But, still involved in making dreams realities. And, now I design and manufacture custom plastic components. Now I get to see the results of our work all over the world. And, been involved in the development of cancer diagnosis apparatus. Talk about reaching out and touching someone.
I’ve had lots of good ideas that I’ve invested time and money, in surfing and out of surfing and what I learned was there is a step in developing something that gets little air time; Do you have the balls to put it out there? I’ve shaped about 20 surfboards, most of them experimental. Some worked some didn’t but they were all pretty useless because I never documented any of them or put them out for others to evaluate. Not that there was a forum for that kind of stuff back then but I just worked in my little corner for my own amusement…BFD.
A few years ago there was an interesting problem about the geology here in San Diego. A certain age of sediments contained some really wacky stuff. Big giant clay balls, squiggles and other problems that no one in our science was able to explain. It was pretty easy to blab theories to other geologists but it was just lip service. I compiled everbody’s work in the area and combined it with some of my own and wrote a paper describing an ancient landslide; 30 million years old that covered at least 12 square miles. Pretty much put my scientific and professional ass on the line. 5 years later and its pretty much accepted that the landslide is a fact and that certain things need to be done to keep land stable where the ancient landslide is exposed. Every time someone digs a hole in this area I’m proved right. My satisfaction is not in being right…its about having the confidence in what I did to put it out in the light of day.
Same thing applies to Paul’s, Tom’s, Dale’s, Mike Paler’s, and Greg Loehr’s stuff. They had the balls to put their ideas out there for other’s to see and use. That’s what separates the players from the spectators.
That’s also the best part of Swaylock’s; you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t a player.
Having an idea or concept and not acting on it is a disgrace. It may work great or maybe lead to concept that may not have come about if you didn’t take a chance. You’ll never know unless you take a chance.
“He who hesitates is lost”
Al, I’ve had some ideas I’ve kept to myself (well, after discussing them w/ Stan P. who said they are worth persuing) and have not acted on them because I have two other bigger projects: young children. I don’t feel that is disgraceful. I’m willing to share my ideas or keep them for the decade that I have time.
So money and time where “my mouth is” = two great kids and one somewhat happy wife (and a few waves here and there).
LeeV. nice example of putting the parts together and making a leap. Nice work!
But,Silence is Golden!
Sure it paid off…got the heart w/ an arrow thru it, carved on the hood of my truck from a local teenie bikini this summer…the price you ask? No, just the event tax.Herb
after the flesh.
ps.Dale got some MORE goodies added to the pack. Lost your address,sorry.Please to email it to me again,and I promise to keep it somewhere safe,thanks.
My ideas were all costly, and you had to thumb through the yellow pages and call and call and call and talk to people that maybe had some idea of the product that they carried that you absolutely had to have or else, but when you drove the 50+ miles to look at what the receptionist said was - turned out to be a wasn’t and there weren’t any people to tell you that you needed this or that to make it work and maybe if you tried this blah-blah-blah, put it all together take it to the beach and hope it floats and I still wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything even though my resume looks a little thin compared to some others on this thread.
“So you’re working on that idea again after 20 years cause you are inspired by some photo guy and some wood surfboard guy in OZ that you talk to on the internet? I’m taking you to that psychologist again…”
Actually I’d be more than happy if they wrote on my tombstone; Thank god neither of his magnificent children had the balls to get into that surfboard design thing that he loved so much…(specially my daughter)
I guess we all have special projects on different levels. I try to teach my kids not to back away from a challenge. I agree sometimes you have to prioritize but act on your ideas now or ten years from now or you’ll never know.
P.S. Raising kids is never a disgrace but a priority.
The internet.
I invented it.
Can’t figure out why no one believes me.
Drew