I know a fair number of folks who absolutely cannot stand aphorisms. Complicated truths cannot be boiled down into a few words or a phrase that accurately conveys the idea, they argue. The many, many examples of companies and executives who try to do just that, with their inspirational posters on the wall and team-building chants, only proves the point.

I, on the other hand, am drawn to them. Not the seagull-flying-against-the-setting-sun posters — no. But I love the way big ideas can be boiled down to their essential truths. I usually find them thought-provoking and creativity-spurring.

These quotes pop up over the course of a day, usually in the Food Marketing Institute’s DailyLead newsletter, or on Forbes.com. I save them, the way my grandmother clipped articles about the grandkids from the local newspaper.

I rifled through some of my saved quotes the other day, looking for inspiration. On this day, the maxims that resonated with me coalesced around a single concept:

“Ideas are important, but they’re not essential. What’s essential and important is the execution of the idea.” — John Landis, film director
“All organizations are perfectly designed to get the results they are now getting. If we want different results, we must change the way we do things.” — Tom Northup, leadership consultant.
“What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that’s another matter.” — Peter Drucker, consultant

I attend a lot of industry meetings in which thought-provoking ideas and creative approaches to social and communications challenges are the order of the day. In presentations and conversations, from breakfast into the evening, smart people from all disciplines share ideas for telling meat’s story. It has been the case since I began covering the industry 10 years ago.

So why does the meat industry grapple with substantially the same issues that plagued it 10 years ago — or 20?

The answer is as complicated as the question. Social media distorts the news; food knowledge is disappearing along with consumers’ ability to judge good advice from bad; time is at a premium but the technologies that save time are suspect.

Too often, great (if imperfect) ideas get stuck in the muck. Lack of financing puts it on the back burner. Time passes and other matters become more urgent.

I get it. I do. One of the best parts of my job is working for a company that likes pushing the boundaries of top-quality journalism for the industries we (Meatingplace and our three sister publications) cover. We talk every day about how the publishing business is changing and the opportunities that presents. We outline fantastic programs that will knock our audiences’ socks off.

And yet, projects have to wait — until the technology is in place, until room can be made in the budget, until there’s time. Enthusiasm can flag pretty quickly when it runs up against reality.

One of my goals for Meatingplace, and for me personally, is not to let these ideas lose momentum. We have epic ideas for Meatingplace and our community, and if some are destined to wilt under closer scrutiny, others need only to be executed.

What about your plans, the conversations and maybe-solutions you’ve dreamt up? What muck are they stuck in? What are you doing about it?

“You are not defeated when you lose. You are defeated when you quit.” – Paulo Coelho, Brazilian writer, lyricist

Have you been defeated, and you don't even know it?

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