It’s been a while now, but my memory of that grueling two-day event to identify “The Next Big Thing” still gets stuck on autoplay in my mind; especially during times when creative thought and implementation magic are required. I’m talking about a two day event that didn’t really unfold so much as it became an avalanche of ideas bouncing around the room while our team feverishly took notes and posted questions to the parking lot. There was no lack of ideas as the project team concluded the event. What happened next? Well – nothing. Maybe if we had acted out the steps Emily Bridson recommends in her article, “How to jumpstart your next big idea,” my ‘well – nothing’ answer could have been vastly different.
Are you thinking ahead to your 2015 goals? If not, now is the time to get started! I told friends yesterday of my big endeavor for this coming year — writing my first book. Why? To make myself accountable for delivering on my next big idea. Here’s how to get started on your own project that you have been thinking about or putting off:
- Do your research. I started by attending Dream Year and networking with other entrepreneurs, authors, and creatives. Surround yourself with people who know how to get it done. In addition, I read books and looked at the competitive products that were already out there to understand the marketplace.
- Tell people about your dream. I have had others offer up publishers, writing conferences, advice on how to self-publish, and marketing firms that can help me with achieving my goal. Everyone knows someone who can make your dream seem less like a dream and more like a checklist of items to complete.
- Don’t listen to the naysayers who want to rain on your parade. I learned a lesson from watching friends name their children- there are always folks that want to say negative things about the decision. Notice who these people are and steer clear of them in the future. I now tell people I am writing a book, but will not disclose the subject to avoid this problem.
- Make a plan and get started! Decide the timeline for your project and how many hours you will devote to it each day. If you find yourself thinking you don’t have time, give up watching television. I read a study yesterday that shows most of us watch several hours a day. We all have time if we re-prioritize, it is matter of how bad we want our dream to come to life.
- Recruit a mentor. When I attend my first writers’ conference next month, my goal is to walk away with someone that can help me through the process. I have talked with other friends who have been published and they have shared several of their contacts with me.
- Decide on a goal. When will your project become completed? What need will it fill in society? Will you depend on it to contribute financially to support your family? I am deciding what outcomes I want to achieve with my next big idea.
What is your next big idea?
How to Jumpstart Your Next Big Idea // Thoughts on Being Authentic