My business coaching clients are never short of ideas! I’ve even had clients have the idea that they should create an ideas business because they have so many!
Having ideas isn’t the challenge. Implementing them is!
We all have ideas, it’s not unique… sorry!
You may see yourself as an Ideas Person. Ideas just pop out of your mind all the time and it’s hard to keep track of them all. You feel like you might burst with excitement: THIS IS THE ONE!
…until the next ONE comes along a few days later!
How many ideas actually leave your mind and make it into the real world?
Many of our ideas float around like untethered kites that never crystallize into anything tangible. The latest idea just becomes another distraction as you continue generating more and more of them. They stack up in a holding pattern waiting for a little of your scattered attention to make them real.
This stack then becomes exhausting and overwhelming as a state of inertia sets in.
Months (even years!) can be wasted dreaming but nothing ever gets done. There’s no action, there’s just the next idea coming along…
If this sounds like you, then here’s a simple formula to help you create some momentum…
You need a simple system
Without having a system it’s difficult to take an idea and make it happen (even a good one!).
I’ve learned that there are three elements to taking an idea and making it real:
Your idea needs to become grounded if you want to give it a chance of becoming reality. Creating a system or process helps you to take your idea and plan HOW to create some momentum. You then need to take specific action to make it real.
How to make your idea a REALITY…
IDEA
I’ve sat in daylong leadership strategy meetings where loads of ideas are shared and everyone is very excited and enthusiastic. A year later the same ideas are being talked about again because nothing happened in between.
We often see the IDEA as the sexy exciting bit because it’s fun being creative. There’s nothing quite like that adrenalin rush when you think you’re on to something new and great!
Get clear about your idea understand WHY you want to make it real. Here are a few prompts to write down. Don’t skip this bit – get it out of your brain and onto paper.
1. Write a brief description of your idea
- 2. What is the purpose? How is it relevant to your business/your success/make money?
- 3. What needs to happen to make this real? What will it look like when it’s done well?
- 4. What might get in the way of success? How can you overcome it?
- 5. What difference will its implementation make to you personally/professionally?
- 6. How strongly do you believe in this idea on a scale of 1 (not at all) to 10 (passionately)
Sometimes we stop at the idea stage because we’re frightened to take the next step and make it happen. WHY? Because if you don’t start then it can’t fail, because you didn’t have to try. Your idea needs your energy and belief if it’s going to germinate into reality. You have to take a few risks and step out of your comfort zone and do some things scared.
SYSTEM
For an Ideas Person, creating a system or process is the painful part. This is the process of planning and working out how it’s all going to happen. It’s easy to over-complicate it!
For some of us planning, thinking it through, and then creating a stepped process to make it work is the tedious bit… (Especially if you are a CounterAct Follow Thru on Kolbe)
Why?
Because it involves sitting down and working it out one step at a time. THIS STAGE is hugely important because it’s the difference between your idea staying just a dream or becoming real…
Creating a system/process for implementing your idea will save you a lot of time and energy. Get some help from someone who can help you create a framework for what you need to do if this is not your GENIUS work!
Here are a few tips to create a system for your ideas:
- Create an Ideas Book if you’re always having loads of ideas. Write each one down in a paragraph as you think it.
- Re-visit your book every 1-2 weeks to re-read each idea and cross out any that no longer feel like they are doable or ‘have legs’.
- Schedule time to take your best idea and break it down into doable steps.
See your idea as the vision and the system as your tactical plan:
- What’s specifically involved in making this become real?
- What individual steps need to be taken?
- Who else needs to be involved?
- When do you need to do it? What is your deadline for completion?
- Where will it happen?
- Work backward on a timeline to identify some milestone dates and will help you to break down what needs to be done. Remember, big things are done in small chunks! Breaking it down will make it doable.
Creating a framework gives you clarity and direction. This helps you have a structure to follow step by step. It helps you to feel more confident and in control.
ACTION
This is IMPORTANT. This is the difference between being a dreamer or a doer. You have to actually show up and do the work! Just talking about it doesn’t make things happen, we can ALL talk about our ideas – You have to DO it!
- Decide this is what you’re going to do and COMMIT to making it happen.
- Schedule small pockets of time in your calendar and take one step at a time.
- Get someone to help you stay accountable (a coach or accountability buddy)
- If you decide to delegate or outsource part of the work then take responsibility for leading them to do a great job. There is a huge difference between delegation and abdication!
- Take conscious, CONSISTENT deliberate action. This will help you to create momentum towards your outcome. Creating momentum will motivate you to keep taking action, as you move towards your goal. You’ll also start to feel a sense of completion.
- Review your progress regularly, so you can tweak and modify your plan if necessary.
If you have an idea that you want to bring into the world, always create a system for it and plan ahead for its arrival!
Success needs a system – EVERY TIME!
What idea do you have right now that you want to make real? Share it in the comments.
If you need help to transform your idea into action and make it real – then let’s jump on a quick call! Happy to talk it through with you.
https://coachbrilliant.com/contact/
Great advice Elaine! I have tons of new ideas as I love being creative but discerning the best ones takes time sometimes. This system looks wonderful. I am going to try it! Thank you
Thanks so much, Shannon! Keep me posted on how it goes!