I have a knack of coming up with tons of ideas. I know I’m not alone in this.
The great thing when you focus on managing tasks over time is that you can make progress on those tasks with less concern over the time they take. Make no mistake — those who focus on task over time are still aware of time. It’s just they simply don’t feel the same constraints that those who focus on time over task do.
But … tasks can get out of control. Your list can grow beyond the scope of what you can possibly accomplish within a reasonable amount of time. If you stare at hundreds of tasks (whether organized in some fashion or not), they can be just as overwhelming as a ticking clock.
So if you’re an idea machine like I am, you’ll need to get comfortable with killing ideas. That’s a very hard thing to be comfortable with but it’s essential if you want any of your ideas to become something exceptional.
The concept of an “Idea Calendar” can help you curate your ideas. Spending some time managing your ideas (I introduce the process of idea management in The Productivityist Workbook) will help you gain the comfort and confidence to let go of those just don’t fit the bill…no matter the reason why. By putting some sort of structure in place (as you should with tasks) you can make many ideas flourish…and kick perhaps even more to the curb.
Ideas come and go; it’s what you do with them as they come and go that can have a lasting impact. The sooner you accept the notion that killing some of your ideas is a necessity, the more likely it will be that the ones you move forward with will live up to your expectations.
Photo credit: MaraB. (CC BY 2.0)
