“Everyone who has ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the
person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something
about it that makes a difference.”
― Nolan Bushnell Author of the Book a Whack on the Side of the Head
Ideas are all around us, and nothing feels more exciting than coming up with a fantastic idea that you know will absolutely work. The difficult part for most, however, is taking those ideas and turning them into an actionable plan.
Here are a Few Tips to Help you with Turning Ideas into Action
#1 – Write out a Plan of Action
You have an idea – fantastic! Now is a good time to write out a fail-proof plan of how you will act on that idea. Detail in writing how your idea will work and break down the process into small steps. Having an action plan to follow makes the process of action much easier.
#2 – Ditch the Fear
So many people have wonderful ideas that never come into fruition because of fear. Fear can really be a dirty word for many of us. It can stop us from following our dreams and acting on our ideas. Don’t let fear of failure stop you from making your ideas a success.
Remind yourself that in the big scheme of things you really don’t have a lot to loose. What is the worst that could happen? And don’t worry about the fear of what people will say. People will always have something to say. Take pride in the fact that you have the strength to follow through on your dreams. The reality is you get bonus points for even trying in the first instance, so you really can’t go wrong.
#3 – Slice the Salami
Have you ever gone to friend’s home for a get together and they had some sliced cheese and smoked sausage set out with crackers? It looked easy to try a bite. What if they just laid the whole salami on the table and did not leave a knife or crackers? Would anyone partake in the salami? Probably Not. Why? It looked like too much work. Make it easier on your self and break tasks down into bite sized pieces.
There is nothing more frightening than looking into all the little nagging details of a business idea. So many successful entrepreneurs have said that had they really thought through their business they wouldn’t have taken action.
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t plan or research your idea, but be careful not to get hung up on all the small details. Remember all the niggling details can easily be taken care of. You can research all the information you need when the time comes. And anything you can’t do, you can hire others to do.
The trick here is to proceed with small steps. Take each part of your business plan and idea and take a small action step each day. Don’t get too hung up on the big picture and simply keep moving forwards one step at a time.
Turning ideas into action can be difficult and even scary for some, but the rewards can be immense. Start slowly and work your way up, and you’ll soon be on your way to success.
