I hope you're enjoying some of these lazy, hazy days of summer...I know I am!
Many of you ask me how to choose from all your many ideas -which one should I work on NOW?
I also hear from many of you that you're challenged by the "F" word (and I mean Focus!)
Here's a powerful, easy 8 step system to choose your ideas, get them into action and completed.
1. Write down all your ideas. You don't have to DO all of them but if you don't write them down, you'll lose a lot of your truly genius, creative gems.
2. Let is percolate for a few days. Come back to your list in a couple of days -some of those ideas you wrote down will seem downright wacky while others will take your breath away -I thought THAT? you'll say to yourself.
3. Then ask yourself, what is the purpose for doing this? Hint -it's not always money. It's probably one of these - list building, lead generation, cash generation, product creation (this can be information products too), or building credibility.
4. Rank your list of ideas from 1-5 on how much this idea will get you to your current purpose (or whatever scale you like) with 1 being this won't get me to my desired objective at all, to eureka! this is a 5 -I'm going to lock the door, turn off the phone and email and not come out till I've got this baby cooking!
5. Make a 2nd column with an estimate of what you think can happen if you focus on this for 40 days. Why do I pick 40 days? I like that there is a great significance to the number 40 in many spiritual traditions. And, I know how tempted I am to lose focus -in many spiritual stories, 40 days signifies temptation or a passage through something.
Next quantify your idea. How many people could you add to your list if you focused for 40 days? How many leads could you generate? How much cash will that information product bring in?
6. Right about now, the buts should be kicking in -small buts and those dreaded big buts. Write down 3 of them. Now write down 3 benefits of doing this focused project.
7. Now write down solutions to your obstacles or ways to prevent them. Then write down, very specifically, about what you'll get from the benefits. Set dates for when you'll experience these great things you'll be, do or have from these benefits.
8. Ok. Now it's time to get into ACTION! Write down 5 actions you need to take to achieve this objective. For example, I'm working on a book right now -some of my next actions are to write an hour a day, interview some folks for stories for the book, decide on a hot title...see?
Some of your steps will be done by you, others like graphic design of a book cover, transcribing interviews etc. will be done by someone else.
So what idea will you focus on for the next forty days (some of you will complete your project even sooner!) Post a comment at www.authenticlifeinstitute.com/blog and let us know -then you're making a commitment which will make it much more likely that you'll keep moving forward -don't you want to come back in 40 days and post about your great success? I'd love to hear them!
Ann Ronan, Ph.D. is an author, speaker, certified career coach and self employment expert, and vision generator.
Ann delivers smart, simple ways for people to acknowledge what they love to do and do more of it. Her articles, products, and books have motivated and inspired readers in numerous print and online publications. She regularly leads coaching programs, tele-seminars and live retreats, bringing the message to audiences internationally that living a passion-based life will bring prosperity and success.
She was recently selected from a nationwide search to be featured in Discover Your Inner Strength. The book features best-selling authors Stephen R. Covey (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People), Brian Tracy (Million Dollar Habits), and Ken Blanchard (One Minute Manager).