You tell yourself every day, “I need to get moving on this idea,” but at the end of the day you produce the same result – no progress. We all have gotten caught up in this cycle of making promises to ourselves, getting too busy and too tired as the day moves on, making no progress, and making the same promise tomorrow. Following these three simple steps will bring you momentum and a fresh start:
1. Document It
Transfer your idea from your mind onto paper. In the article, “The Power of Writing Down Your Goals and Dreams” by Mary Morrissey, she states,“Just the act of writing down your dreams and goals ignites an entirely new dimension of consciousness, ideas, and productivity to the powerhouse that is your subconscious mind. This simple act also opens your subconscious to ‘seeing’ opportunities that simply can’t be observed if you’re tied up with THINKING about your goals.”
With all the different technology and apps available, there are various ways to document your idea. You can record it, make a video, put together an infographic, write in a journal (either on your desktop or in a physical journal), create PowerPoint slides (one of my favorite mediums), and/or build vision boards. Use whatever medium works for you to accomplish this task.
2. Conduct Research and Development
Most successful corporations have a Research and Development department (also called an R&D Department). The primary responsibility of this department is to conduct research on new products and/or services. You must also conduct research on your own idea. You can do so by using the internet, asking experts, friends, or family, or even just by using your own expertise or experience. The results and benefits will allow you to clarify or expand your idea, and have a better understanding going into your next steps.
3. Develop a Plan
The next step is to develop a plan. This should consist of tasks, start and finish dates, resources, and costs, if necessary. The plan will give you an overall view of where you are going and where you need to be at a given point in time. This is where you can measure progress and determine adjustments.
The ultimate goal is to bring our idea to a successful realization. To achieve this, progress needs to take place from initiation to completion. These three steps will prove to be very valuable from the outset.
About the Author
Cerila Gailliard holds a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification from the Project Management Institute and a Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems (University of Phoenix). Cerila Gailliard is the founder of Orchestrating Your Success LLC which provides Project Management services to help business achieve their business goals successfully.
