ideas Archives - The Goalden Lady

#TBT: Protect Your Conversation

When you have an ‘a-ha’ moment, you want to tell everyone. You’re thrilled and want to share how great your idea is and how you’ll go about your plan. As exciting as it is, everyone won’t share your enthusiasm.

Have you ever been around people who are Negative Nancy’s? No matter what you say, they will surely find a way to make pessimistic remarks. They’re always making snarky comments to bring you down.

If you know someone like this, why would you want to spend your time explaining your idea if you know they’re just going to shoot it down? They intentionally wait for happiness to shine, just so they can bring the rain. Talking to this person can damage your outgoing spirit, so don’t give them too much of your time. I wouldn’t share my hopes and dreams with someone like this.

Having those bright ideas should be an important moment for you. Share it with those who are encouraging and supportive. When you come across those obstacles, you’ll need someone in your corner to help push you forward – not someone that says, “I told you so.”

Be careful who you discuss your goals and dreams with. Talking to the wrong person will certainly kill your dream on the spot. That’s no good for you. You deserve a chance to see it through without any discouragement. You want to be around those who will help you expand and grow, not those who want you to remain stagnant.

Take control of your environment. Be around people that have the same drive as you. Limit your time with the Negative Nancy’s and Debbie Downers. Once you do this, your environment will create itself into a positive circle of optimism. You will be surrounded by forward moving people who encourage you and support your focus.

A plant can not thrive in polluted soil. It eventually becomes weak and stops growing. The weeds will take over and the plant will become part of it’s surroundings.

Change your environment. Be around people who will give you sunshine and rain to grow. Don’t let a bad element overtake you. Plant yourself among the growing element. Be mindful of who you share your bright ideas with. It could be the difference between you reaching your goal or your goal becoming a distant thought.

How Information Overload Stops You From Being Productive

There’s an idea that’s been bouncing around in your head for quite some time. Finally, you decide to do the research and get started on it. When you find the information you need, you study it thoroughly.

“This is very interesting,” you think. Before you know it, you discover more details that seem helpful. Each time you come across something new about it, you continue to read.

And then you read some more. Then, you read more. When will you stop reading and researching and start?

This is a classic situation of information overload. Sometimes, we get so caught up in researching and finding more information, we fail to start. How much information do you need to begin?

You’re being busy, but not productive. Being busy is when you’re doing something that may contribute to your idea, but it’s not being put into action. Being productive is when you start and you see good or bad results and you make adjustments.

For example, reading about building engines for 3 hours a day is being busy. You can read all you want to, but it’s not doing anything.

Actually sitting down and building it is being productive.

It is good to be detailed and prepared for what you’re about to do, but at some point, you must stop reading and just build.

Doing extensive research is another way you avoid doing the actual work.

It’s a comfortable place to be, because you aren’t putting yourself out there for others to be critical or to judge. Researching is your safe space.

Stop fooling yourself. If you’re going to do it, stop reading and put in the work.

Another reason is perfection. Some of us feel like whatever we do must be perfect, but this is just another way we hide from the outside world of opinions.

When you become older, you’ll see that other people’s opinions don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Don’t buy into what people say about you – it’s called jealousy and insecurity.

You’re the one making progress and they aren’t. You’re the one making the most of your opportunities and they aren’t. You’re the one improving yourself to become better and they aren’t.

You’re doing everything they wish they had the courage to do. Remember that the next time you want to do extensive research and be perfect. Don’t hold yourself back because of what other people might think.

If that’s the case, get around people who promote the reality of your ideas. When you feed off of the energy of other like-minded people around you, the entire group will grow and improve and become exceptional! This is the support system you need to be around in order to thrive.

Get unstuck and move. Deliver. Put it out there. Expose it. Bring it. It doesn’t matter, just believe in yourself and do it!

Stop being busy and start being productive!

Plant Your Seed

We all think of things we should’ve done a long time ago. Ideas seem to come too late, or do they?

Thoughts and ideas don’t come late, we respond late. When you see something, do you say, “I had that idea 2 years ago!”? It happens to all of us.

You can be mad and stuck on the fact that someone else ‘stole’ your idea and put it out to the world, or you can take the next idea you have and begin working on it.

Often, we have thoughts and ideas and our immediate reaction is, “If this worked, someone would have done it already.” Maybe the world is waiting on you to do it.

Don’t allow your ideas to slip away. Now that we have the internet, we can easily do the research and put things together more easily than before. All you have to do is gather the information you need and start the process.

This doesn’t mean it will be easy. It means you will have access to clues and various material, which gives you the opportunity to figure it out. The rest is up to you.

Of course, if you do nothing, nothing will happen. There’s just the possibility of someone else taking the time and energy to make it work and putting out the same idea.

Don’t get mad, get started.

You have a real chance at making your idea come to fruition. If you begin today, imagine where your idea would be in 5 years. Even if it doesn’t work out, you made a conscious attempt at it. You’ll never have the mental burden of ‘what-if?’.

Put yourself in the mind of being 80 years old. What would be the things you wished you would’ve done? Whatever you come up with, that’s what you should do. As said before, if it doesn’t work out, you did make an honest effort.

Spare yourself the pain of regret. Plant your seed today. If it stays in your mind, it doesn’t happen. Give it the rain and sunshine it deserves. Make it happen by taking action and putting forth a sincere and intentional effort, today.