10 ways to get more comfortable executing ideas
I have a lot of ideas and I experiment with them occasionally, but I think I need to execute more. How could I train myself to test a higher percentage of my ideas?
1. Create a simple website
If I have an idea for a business, for example. I might not actually start it (I have business ideas all the time, can't start a new one every day), but maybe creating a website for it can put me in the right mindset and make me more likely to execute future ideas, try it in the future, or work on my own business. Maybe it can inspire me somehow.
2. Do one little thing
Write one line. Sign up on Shopify. Write a few words for a course outline. Apply to Airbnb Experiences. Create a MeetUp or CouchSurfing event. Ask around. Offer a service for free.
3. Create a Facebook group centered around your idea
4. Form a support group of people with similar goals
5. Do something as soon as I come up with the idea
6. Get a buddy who will tell me which ideas I should experiment with
I find a buddy and I share all my ideas with them. He or she selects the ones I should experiment with (even if it's just "one little thing"). Maybe they can give me suggestions on how to execute as well.
7. Make it more concrete
Instead of just a little note on my phone or in my notebook, I could write it down on a big piece of paper, add more details to the idea, hang it up on my wall or on my computer, and elaborate on how I can make the idea happen.
8. Post something on Craigslist/Facebook/Gumtree/whatever
If I wanted to sell penguins, I could post an ad to see if anyone would be interested.
9. Go on the street with a sign
I could carry a sign that says "penguins for sale, inquire for more information"
"$5 guided meditation"
"peanut milk"
"I'll draw your feet"
This would be a way to see if people are interested in the idea.
(I don't actually plan to sell penguins)
(nor do I wish to draw feet)
10. Prospective retrospection
Stealing this term from William B. Irvine, an author who writes about Stoicism and has a series on the Waking Up app. As I remember it, he presents it more as a way to accept difficult times: when you're going through a tough time, think about how you feel about it when you'll look back on it in the future. It's likely you'll look back on it with amusement, maybe nostalgia, and you'll realize it wasn't that bad.
In this case, we can use prospective retrospection to think: how will I feel in the future if I don't try out this idea? If the answer is something like "meh, whatever", then maybe it's OK. But maybe the answer is "I'll regret not pursuing it or at least playing with it." Of course, this doesn't mean you should execute on every idea, because again, there are just too many of them. I'd like to see a list on how to know which ideas are worth pursuing.
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