One of my favorite podcasts is called How I Built This. Hosted by Guy Raz, it features interviews with a range of entreprenuers, innovators and disrupters who share the inspiration that led to, the challenges that were overcome by, and the background of some of the most successful enterprises and organizations of our time. One of my favorite episodes in the series is Mr. Raz’s conversation with Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx.

Spanx sells shapewear. Shapewear are garments worn underneath clothing to enhance their fit and appearance. Spanx is a billion dollar company, and the story of how Mrs Blakely created and distributed the product is deeply inspiring. Her journey contains a wealth of profound lessons on success, one of which I’d like to share with you. I’m not sure if I heard this lesson on that podcast or read it in her book, but I came across it in one of my notebooks and think it is powerful truth. While she was in the early stages of developing the idea behind her product, Sarah said:

“I kept my idea a secret from anyone who could not directly help to move it forward. That was my gut instinct at the time, but it’s now one of the best pieces of advice I have to give. Ideas are the most vulnerable at the moment you have them; that’s also the time people are most inclined to run around seeking validation from everyone they know. Discouraging remarks will likely take you off course. You’ll either end up deflated or spend your time defending your idea instead of going for it.”

I think far too many of us talk far too much far too soon about our plans, projects, dreams and desires. Instead of going for it, we seek comfort, validation and reassurance from others, many of whom neither have the faith, the credentials, or the track record to effectively evaluate our aspirations. Consequently, we allow cynics, skeptics, and naysayers to pour cold water on our hot hopes

This impulse to seek the opinions of others is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the scriptures repeatedly encourage us to seek counsel. Consider Proverbs 11:14, which puts the matter bluntly: “in the multitude of counsellors there is safely.” In other words, we should seek feedback from others to ensure that our efforts are successful…and safe. However, we probably should be more discriminating when choosing those advisors. And we probably should not choose them prematurely. Premature counsel is probably worse than bad counsel. As Mrs Blakely reminds us, dreams and ideas and fragile. And like babies, they need to be protected.

The validity of this approach finds biblical confirmation in the example of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a high ranking official in the government that had destroyed his native city. Although he had experienced great personal success, his heart longed to rebuilt the city that had built him. Nehemiah was eventually able to leverage his influence to convince the King he served to provide him with the resources that were necessary to begin rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. After seeking divine guidance and securing the support of the King, Nehemiah began to move. According to Nehemiah 2, 12-18 this is what he did:

I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding. After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but my donkey couldn’t get through the rubble. So, though it was still dark, I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate.

After his inspection was complete, we read this:

The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration. But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.

Nehemiah did share the plans that God had put in his heart. But he only shared them after he sought divine guidance, secured the resources and support of the King, and conducted a personally led feasibility study.. Then and only then did he consult the counsel of others. And perhaps that is why his plans succeeded. The wall was built in 52 days. Interestingly, despite all of his advance work, Nehemiah’s plans still encountered fierce resistance. But he persisted. Imagine if he had shared his plans too soon! They probably would have never gotten off of the drawing board.

Stop telling folks what you intend to do. If the experiences of Sarah Blakely and Nehemiah are unconvincing, perhaps one more final admonition that is more than five thousand years old from the pen of the military genius Sun Tse will seal the deal:

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.