It is great to be in the Idea Phase.
This is dreamland.
Imagination Central.
The fertile feminine.
The Idea Phase is essential to the creative process and it is the first phase of the Creative Launch Cycle.
The danger is that you can stay in dreamland forever and never bring your creative idea to life into the lucrative venture that it can be.
The risk of staying in your head is that you might never get to experience what it feels like to live the life you dream of.
By staying in your head, you are missing out on:
- Freedom
- Impact
- Wealth
- Recognition
- Your top desire here _____
In this training, I talk about the top reasons people stay stuck in the Idea Phase, which include:
- Fear
- Low Desire
- Doubt/Lack of belief
- Lack of strategy
- Lack of structure
When I did a poll in my community, many people shared that the top reason they stay in the Idea Phase is that they have no reason to decide which idea to take action on.
They have no deadline or timeline that encourages them to choose or commit to an idea.
This is not to say that the Idea Phase isn’t important or valuable.
It is absolutely essential to get an idea to maturity otherwise it’s like taking a cake out of the oven before it’s fully baked.
The problem is when you get stuck in this phase, and your ideas start to rot.
Without moving forward you can’t get to the Planning Phase, Implementation Phase and this means you can’t get Results!
And this is the ultimate tragedy.
You are given ideas and the responsibility to make them happen.
This post, and the video training that it comes from are designed to help you identify when it’s appropriate to be in the Idea Phase, when it’s time to move on, and the ONE structure you can use to help you transition from one phase to the next.
I work with lots of Trailblazers and Creative Visionaries, and they often resist structure thinking it will curtail their creative energy, but actually, the opposite is true.
By putting parameters and boundaries around a “problem” you actually have the opportunity to become more creative, innovative and solution-oriented.
With that, let’s dive in …
When it’s time to be in the Idea Phase:
- When an idea isn’t fully formed yet
- When an idea is still taking shape
- When you are filling in the colors, flavors, shape, size, weight, distance and it’s still coming together
- If the idea still needs to ripen and mature before you can articulate it verbally or in writing
- If you still feel called to journal, explore, study, read and consult on your idea
- If you’d rather whisper about it than shout it from the rooftops
Then it probably serves you to stay in the Idea Phase and let your idea to to maturity
When it’s time to move from the Idea Phase to the Planning Phase:
- When your next step is clear and you can see it in front of you
- When you can see how to get from point A to point B
- When you can explain it to someone else (and they don’t look at you cross-eyed)
- When you feel really excited, and can’t wait to share it with someone
- When you cannot rest without testing to see if this idea has legs
When it’s almost too late:
- When you feel your enthusiasm start to die down
- When you start to listen to the voices in your head that tell you it’s stupid, it won’t work, it’s not a good idea
- When you start negotiating with yourself or convincing yourself that you can do this tomorrow, or next week, or when the kids are out of school
The best time to strike is while the iron is hot.
The best time to eat the apple is when it is at its peak of ripeness on the tree.
The ONE structure that can help you transform an idea into a plan
The problem is, without structure – without a defined deadline or timeline, you risk that apple rotting on the ground, and the iron losing its heat.
The opportunity is gone.
Or at least, it will take a lot more energy to heat it up again.
My own coach says that women who are consistently high-earners develop the skillset to do “more, better, faster”.
In other words, they know the value of riding the wave of momentum to bring an idea to fruition.
To bring on a new client.
To strike a deal with a new partner.
To launch a new campaign.
It is much easier to go with the flow than to go against it.
So, if you are challenged by ideas that rot on the vine, and are tired of never acting on your potentially lucrative ideas, here’s the ONE structure you can use to help you strike while the iron is hot.
Give yourself a deadline.
Why?
Because something that can be done at anytime is often done at no time.
Giving yourself a deadline will force you to decide, to choose, and to act.
- By the end of the month, I will _____.
- By the end of this year, I will have _____.
- In 30 days, I am going to _____.
And then give yourself some accountability to stick to that time frame.
To summarize:
- Stay in the Idea Phase when an idea isn’t yet fully formed.
- Move on to the Planning Phase when you can articulate the idea to someone else clearly.
- Give yourself a deadline and a time frame to move forward.
What if you still aren’t taking action?
If you know all of this, and you still aren’t taking action on your idea, then it might be time to call in the help of a coach.
That’s what we’re here for!
To help you transform problems into solutions and fear into action.
We help you see what the obstacles are and stay right beside you as you overcome them. Growing your business and yourself in the process.
If you’d like to watch the video training I gave on this topic, join the Creative Impact Studio here, and then watch the video training here.
Best wishes in launching your venture!
