Throughout our lives, we have all come up with great ideas. What if...Why isn't there...Imagine a world where...But merely coming up with great ideas is meaningless unless we know what to do with them when we get them. How many great ideas have you let spoil in your mind? Raw ideas expire because we don't truly believe in the idea and/or we don't believe in our own ability to manifest the idea. Like food, ideas have expiration dates and we need to treat them in a similar way.

1. Cook them:

Some ideas need to be put the fire. Place the idea in the conversation pot and let it marinate. Stir gently every 2-3 minutes. After 10 minutes, apply the simmering heat of pessimistic questions, but be careful not to allow the raw idea to burn. Cover the pot when the idea has started to boil and let it stand until it is ready.

2. Freeze them:

Some ideas are so far ahead of there time that they need to be frozen for later use. They will be valuable later, but the world isn't ready yet. Many great ideas are dependent on advances in technology (ie faster, cheaper) or shifts in the market (ie law, regulations, consciousness) that may not change for years. When ideas are frozen, there is uncertainty about whether they will be useful in the future or not. Anything left in the freezer too long can get outdated. For ideas that may succeed in the short term, simply refrigerate them, but make sure to use them before they spoil.

3. Let them sit:

Like fruit, sometimes idea simply aren't ripe yet and then just need a little bit of time to mature into their full state. Just make sure you watch the idea carefully and take full advantage of it when it is at its sweetest.

4. Give them away:

There are cases when you just might have too many ideas and/or you may have a hot idea but you know that you aren't the one to execute it. If either of these cases arise, don't try to hold onto the idea and rob the world. Instead, share. Give the ideas to people you know who may value them and put them to use. Even if the idea that came through you, but you aren't passionate about it, there are still ways to capture value if you initiate the manifestation. People like song writers that can't sing have made careers out of doing this.

At the very least, preserve your ideas by writing them down. Keep a pen and pad near your bed for those midnight and morning ideas. Explore the idea by taking an hour to see if you're just crazy or if the idea really makes sense.

1. Competition: Browse the internet to see if anyone is doing anything similar
2. Startup Costs: Investigate how much it might costs to get started
3. Market Size: Estimate how many people might benefit from it

Each idea could be the one. Don't let any idea (especially your $1 million one) spoil.