The "Somebody Needs You to Shine" E-Course is continuing.
I have been posting on a special page in LYCL but today, after too much time trying to post the pdf file, I'm officially stepping away from the technology and posting the Week 3 E-Course Material here.
I would really like to blame WordPress but I'm afraid this is another example of user error!
For blog readers who would like to get the remainder of the Ecourse but are not on the LYCL e-newsletter, leave me your email in the box on the right hand side!
Also, this post got a little long, so I am breaking it up into 2 posts. The second post will be up in just a few minutes!
Week 3 - Somebody Needs you to SHINE
"I is for Implement"
Week 3! We're halfway through the "Somebody Needs You to Shine." Let's start by doing a refresh on the topics covered in the previous three weeks:
In the introductory session we talked about the premise of the course:
- Somebody Needs You to Shine
- All successful businesses focus on solving something for someone else
- To be a sustainable business there needs to be a measurable way of making money
In Session 1, the major points revolved around Starting:
- Why It's Important to Take Action
- The Importance of Knowing Why and Seeing the Big Picture
- Commit to the Baby Start
Last week, Session 2 focused on the Thinking through blocks, distractions and the big ugly things that keep us from getting our work done. The two biggest hindrances to our success:
- Resistance: usually in the shape of fear but it comes in the forms of procrastination, anxiety, "I'll get to it tomorrow"
- Distraction: a million and one things fight for our time. We can get so busy doing good things and interesting things we never get to the important things- like making our art and doing work we believe is why we are here on planet earth.
This week: Moving from Theory into the Practical:
The I in SHINE is for Implement
Implementing is essential. If ideas stay on sticky papers or in our brains, it does no one any good. Start today to take the first step to moving ideas to action: implement.
Take one idea and act on it. See if it will stick. We're not betting the farm on this idea but we are going to do the right things to see if it can really get some traction.
For example, I started a baking website in April 2013 as a pure experiment to see if I was really learning the principles of what I was trying to teach:
- building a website for less than $100
- growing an audience and a community
- writing and sharing information people wanted
- learning a bit of SEO
- improving my photography skills
- selling products people wanted
It's been a journey- I've done some things well and I'm working on others. I'll write more about lessons learned from the baking blog in a few weeks.
The point I wanted to make in today's lesson: I started something with specific goals (more on those later as well), I had a plan, and I wasn't counting on this site to a) make a ton of money or b) be the be all-end all of my writing/culinary/career.
It's an experiment.
I'm learning and growing.
I am making improvements and will continue to learn.
There are markers to define whether the site will continue or not.
You can do this too.
It is easy to get fixated on a lot of different things when starting to see if an idea or an itty biz will stick and end up distracted and disheartened when the goal was to be adventurous and strategic.
This week we are going to talk about the basics of what you need to set up to see if your ideas will stick.
Remember when we talked about playing with our ideas and treating them like dates instead of marriages?
The same concept goes for this week's topic. Just like I did with my baking site.
Let's talk about dating for a moment.
When we go on a date, especially the first few times, it is an opportunity to check out the other person, right? We look at his shoes and the length of his sideburns. We notice if he pulls out the chair for us or not. If he laughs at our jokes and if we laugh at his. If we seem to "click" or if there are more awkward pauses than Judge Judy show. If we want to keep checking the time or we wish the night wouldn't end.
And within a period of time we get to make a decision: do we want to continue to see him or do we want to check out other fish in the sea.
It's o.k. to change.
It's o.k. to say, "um, you're not right for me - I don't really like country karaoke and keeping four tarantulas in your bedroom is a little weird for me. I don't want to move to Nevada or Alaska. I probably won't be getting a gun license in the future to go hunting with you and you don't think I'm funny or like my chocolate chip cookies."
When the date doesn't "stick," we move on and date someone else. Until we finally find someone we match well with.
It's the same with starting out with ideas and moving them into a business, a creative venture, a book, a service.
H
Experiment but use the right tools.
Start but do it with passion not a half-hearted effort. Enthusiasm goes a long way!
Do the initial work with some momentum. Not frenetic activity like a Diane Keaton character (who I love and probably am like a little too much). Put you put your initial efforts out into the world with some power. Not only will you get a boost of confidence from the accomplishment but the interaction with people in your community will help you get to know your audience better.
To start, set up your idea in the flesh: start a blog/website. Check out the post "The 6 Things You Need to Set up a Sticky Website" HERE.
The post I is for Implement: SHINE eCourse Week 3 appeared first on Launch Your Creative Life.