One of the many fun parts of being an entrepreneur is ALL THE IDEAS.
All the time.
When I’m meeting with a client and they mention something they need. When I’m at a conference and talk with multiple accountants about what they’re excited by, or struggling with. Reading one of my latest business books. Listening to a podcast. Even when I’m on holiday – usually after I’ve been off at least a full week. By the time I get to the end of week two, the ideas are bubbling and simmering and spinning.
You’re excited. This is going to be the next greatest thing, so you need to get on it straight away! You start typing out content or sending emails or figuring out a new app or whatever it is, and before you know it you’ve spent hours, maybe days or longer, on something which is now half finished. Or only ten percent finished.
Meanwhile, you’ve had seven new ideas, all of which you’ve started in some small way.
You want to do All Of The Things.
This enthusiasm is good. The energy is valuable, and many of the ideas themselves have merit!
And here’s the thing: in a way, you CAN do all of the things.
But not all at the same time.
That’s the key. Because once you start prioritising – or reminding yourself of priorities you set a while back – you realise some of these ideas connect to each other. Some can be set aside for later. Others need more research. Some, on reflection, maybe don’t need to be done at all.
When you’re tempted to do All Of The Things, here are 7 questions you can ask yourself:
What’s got me excited about this particular idea? Where did it stem from?
If it went really well, how much could it impact the business? The team? Me personally?
If it didn’t go well or was a fail, what would the impact be?
What are my top 3 priorities right now to make sure my business reaches its goals? Does this fit into any of those?
Have I run this past any clients, or my ideal audience? How could I do that in a small way?
Is this long term or short term? If it’s long term, what are some small things I could do to make progress without preventing me from doing all the other things I’ve already committed to?
Is there any harm in letting this sit for two weeks, and revisiting it to see if it still feels important then?
Literally write down the answers – perhaps in one of your many blank notebooks you’ve picked up at a conference or event. (Go on, admit it: like me you have a literal drawer FULL of those notebooks.)
Or if you process better by talking or thinking aloud, take a half hour to answer these questions together with a business partner or team member.
It may very well be that your amazing Idea does need to be progressed. Your business partner or team member might be really excited, too.
You might even look back on your list of ideas six months later and think, ‘Hey, I actually did most of these!’ Or even all of these.
But not all at once.
Pace yourself.
Here’s to as many great ideas as you can possibly have….and the patience to identify the ones which will have the most impact – and be the most enjoyable, too.
What I’d love to hear from you is:
What Great Idea did you come up with this week?
