Dictionary of My Own Words
Sometimes, the words you need just don’t exist. So you create them.
This is where I collect the concepts I’ve invented along the way – words that filled a gap, gave the language a new tool, or simply hit closer to home than anything that already existed. These terms describe states of mind, roles, and people we all recognize – even if we never had a precise name for them.
Ideaparalysis (noun) [ˈiːdiəˌpəˈræləsɪs]
From idea (Greek idea – thought, concept) and paralysis (Greek paralysis – disabling, inability to act).
A refined evolution of the term analysis paralysis, but with a sharper focus on creative and visionary processes that never leave the mind.
A condition where brilliant ideas remain in your head – safe, well-considered, and completely unrealized.
Ideaparalysis strikes when your desire to create something meaningful is so intense that it halts all progress. You want to do so much that you end up doing nothing. You think, you plan, you prepare – but you don’t act. And the longer you wait, the harder it gets to start.
It’s not laziness. It’s not a lack of ideas. It’s the fear of choosing wrong, of failing, of not being good enough. It’s the comfort of holding on to the idea in perfect form – instead of risking it in reality.
Ideaparalysis doesn’t affect the indifferent – it hits the visionaries. The ones who see far ahead but forget to take the first step.
Often referred to as “analysis paralysis,” or more academically it would probably be called “ideaplegia” – but I call it ideaparalysis. It’s simpler, sharper, and exactly what it feels like when your own ideas are the very thing holding you back.
Usage examples:
- Description: “Our project is suffering from chronic ideaparalysis.”
- Self-awareness: “I think I’ve been in ideaparalysis for over a year. It’s time to just put something out there.”
- Strategy session: “Let’s break out of ideaparalysis – and into real momentum.”
- Diagnosis: “Honestly, I think she’s stuck in ideaparalysis.”
Ideamaterialist (noun) [ˈiːdiəˌmatɪriəlɪst]
From idea (Greek idea – thought, concept) and materialist (Latin materialis – related to the tangible).
A person who makes ideas real, understandable, and valuable – without necessarily executing the work themselves.
The ideamaterialist is the bridge between thought and action. They see potential in ideas before others do – and shape them into something practical, strategically grounded, and meaningful in the real world.
They’re not just interested in what the idea is, but how it works, who it’s for, and why it matters. This role blends strategic thinking, technological insight, and the ability to communicate clearly. It’s about asking the right questions before anyone else even realizes there are questions to ask.
Where others get stuck in the idea stage, the ideamaterialist helps ideas come to life – structured, thought through, and ready to meet reality.
Usage examples:
- Title: “Raymond Sebergsen – Ideamaterialist”
- Pitch: “I’m an ideamaterialist. I make ideas practical, understandable, and sellable – without reinventing the wheel.”
- Role: “We need an ideamaterialist to connect strategy, market, and technology clearly.”
- Help: “We have loads of ideas, but we need an ideamaterialist to help us land them.”
- Awakening: “I was stuck in ideaplegia for months – until an ideamaterialist helped me take the first step.”
Metapersonnel (noun) [ˈmɛtəˌpɜːsənɛl]
From meta (Greek meta – beyond, above) and personnel (Latin personalis – relating to the person).
An invisible enabler – the person behind the system, the engine behind the progress, the foundation beneath everything we take for granted.
Metapersonnel are the people who keep things running, without making noise about it. They’re not on stage – they make the stage work. They drive, support, maintain, and build – often in the background, but always critical to the organization’s success.
Just as metatechnology is the infrastructure enabling innovation, metapersonnel are the people making systems, technologies – and everyday life – function.
Usage examples:
- Strategy: “If we want stability and resilience, we need to start valuing our metapersonnel.”
- Description: “She’s a cleaner, but also metapersonnel – absolutely vital to operations.”
- Recognition: “We never talk about them – until they’re gone. Typical metapersonnel.”
