We’ve all been there. During an average workday, at a conference or training, reading a book or even just during a conversation with a colleague, lightning strikes—an idea that will completely transform your business, your routine, your level of achievement. These “eureka” moments often come with a burst of energy, but just as often, that energy peters out, and something that was truly valuable and inspired ends up as a few bullet points buried in a document somewhere.
But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are a few tips to help ensure your next stroke of genius actually becomes reality.
Tell someone else
It is much harder to quit on an initiative or project if you have someone to both hold you accountable and encourage you. Whether this person is a mentor, a colleague, an assistant or even a spouse, just making sure that there is an outside perspective on your idea can go a long way toward making sure it happens.
Take action immediately
Real estate agent’s filing cabinets are full of dusty papers that hold grandiose outlines for six-figure ideas. That is because simply writing down an idea often isn’t enough of a push. Even one small step–moving a single piece of furniture, setting a new alarm on your phone, making one phone call, subscribing to a new service—can make a difference in the long-term actionability of your idea, and can push you past the hesitation or procrastination that sinks so many great plans.
Look at days and details
One of the biggest detriments to implementing a great idea is getting ahead of yourself or looking too much at the big picture. Every big idea is made up of smaller parts. Break your idea down–mentally, on paper, talking out loud to yourself or whatever works best for you–using timelines that can be measured in days and focused on the smaller details that often trip up the execution of great ideas. Your idea will become much more concrete and you will quickly be able to derive something actionable from your inspiration.
Not every great idea becomes great change or great progress. Sometimes too many great ideas end up becoming overwhelming and can hamper your business. But by following these steps you will have a much better chance of making the truly great inspirations a reality!
Jesse Williams is RISMedia’s associate online editor. Email him you real estate news ideas at jwilliams@rismedia.com.
