Putting everything into an idea only to find it is not going to work out is tough. It is important to look at what you learned, how you can apply that to your next idea and stop feeling sorry for yourself. Most people never even come up with an idea.

The secret is to build from every setback with a set of parameters by which you proceed with future ideas. The better you become at analyzing whether or not the idea will be something you can make successful, the sooner you will come up with another great one!

Take a deep breath, eat something bad for you, take a nap and then get back to work!

Don't be a hoarder

A tenant in our office complex was evicted this past week. He was given a short amount of time to move out. I always wondered how he stayed in business. While he always had a constant flow of clients, he was terribly inefficient with taking care of business. I had once requested pricing from him for a friend and it took over a week for him to get back to me. By that time my friend had already purchased the item elsewhere.

So as he began to pack, it was revealed there was a lifetime of junk in his warehouse. Stuff he believed he needed to keep. Stuff he believed that one day he might need. Stuff so outdated he most likely couldn't use even if the need came up. It became obvious why he was so inefficient. He spent the first part of every day moving stuff so he could have a work place. The last half of the day moving it back. Whatever time he had left was sifting through all the stuff to find stuff. And when he wasn't searching for stuff, he was talking to others in the business complex about his plans.

I once had my classic talk about stop talking and start doing. After that talk he would always mention all the things he was planning. He never once did any of them.

He is a good guy, a caring person and a hard worker but not a doer. Much of his problem was the clutter in his life. I find that if I spend a little time cleaning up and organizing, I become more efficient. I can find things. I can perform tasks faster.

I am off to start organizing my desk right now!

Don't assume

You have been working on your idea for months now. It is so familiar with you that it is easy to forget that others have no idea what it is. When presenting your idea to others, don't assume they will understand. Make it as simple as possible. Work on your presentation. How can you make it more concise? Can you tell the story of your idea in under a minute? If you only spend a minute, will others understand your idea. Will they want it? Will they realize they need it? Do they care?

People's attention span is very short. If you don't hook them immediately, they may listen out of respect but will probably tune you out. Ask questions and pay attention. Just because you are in love with your idea, don't assume everyone else will be. It is your job to show them why they should be.

Don't say no so fast

I was counseling a young person with their idea over the weekend. I offered up a few suggestions but my point was that they should really research all their avenues before coming to a conclusion.

We tossed around several resources of where they might find a wealth of information. Without any effort, it seemed as though they immediately found a reason why several of the resources we discussed weren't worth their time. At the conclusion of our discussion I passed along links to the resources and once again suggested they take a look.

I wasn't expecting much. To my surprise, I received a telephone call thanking me for pushing them. Turns out that they had a little time and looked at what I had passed along. From that information, they had found more and more after that. They couldn't have been more enthusiastic!

You never know where you are going to find the inspiration to make your ideas become reality. Don't be so quick to say no. It might just be that taking the time to say yes will open up doors on how to approach things differently.

Start Fresh

A new week. Time to make new ideas happen. I often come to work on a Monday with high hopes of working through new ideas. Today was no different. Then I arrive at the office and get distracted by the everyday things that keep my business running. I rationalize that each task must be completed before I can go on to all the ideas I had over the weekend. Well it's 4:30 now and I still haven't started. Again, I rationalize that it is okay because it was a big day. Lots of new sales, several new contacts and many pallets shipped out the door. I guess there is always tomorrow.

I don't like this and I would caution others to say it was okay but I guess I prioritized today. Selling was more important than thinking. Maybe not as fun, but that gives me the opportunity to keep dreaming.

Make a list

Ever feel overwhelmed? Between working on current projects, developing new ideas and balancing your personal life, staying efficient can be difficult. I make a list. With a list, I stay focused. I keep on task. I work through the list and am thrilled each time I check off another item.

More importantly it keeps me from forgetting. There is nothing worse than to be working on a new idea only to find you forgot something and now have to wait to move on.

Make a list, check it frequently and stay on task.

Dead weight

As your ideas flourish and your business grows, sometimes you have to do difficult tasks. Your obligation to your company and it's associates is to make your ideas as successful as possible. Sometimes that means letting people go who aren't pulling their weight. It is a very difficult thing to fire someone. As difficult as it may be, it serves two purposes. First, it lets people know you are paying attention. More importantly, as the proprietor, you are obligated to the others who perform. It is not fair that a good worker consistently goes above and beyond only to see that the dead weight remains. Once the shock of someone's departure is absorbed, the business becomes more lean and efficient. Ultimately creating greater success and prosperity for those who have given it their all.