We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.”
This saying isn’t always applicable. I’ll never get the Martha Stewart good housekeeping award because I firmly believe vacuuming, dusting and laundry should always be put off as long as possible (unless I’m down to my emergency underwear).
But when it comes to business, this is a good adage to follow. There’s nothing worse then having a great idea for a new product or marketing strategy then seeing your competitor implement it.
Now I’ve noticed many entrepreneurs are “idea people”. They come up with far more ideas then they can possibly implement in one lifetime. So it’s inevitable that some of your ideas will be used by others first.
However, if you have an idea that you intend to implement, you create an action plan for this idea but you never actually get to work on it and finally someone else puts it into place, then you have a problem.
And if it happens over and over again, you have a serious problem.
Remember, if you have a good idea, odds are someone else will have it too. The successful people are those who are able to take action on their great ideas.
If you find you are continually missing opportunities because you aren’t getting around to implementing your ideas you need to look at the cause.
If it’s happening because you have too much to do, take action. Are there tasks you don’t really need to do? Are there projects you are working on that aren’t getting results or take more time than they are worth? Eliminate them.
Are there tasks you can pay someone else to do? Bookkeeping, maintaining your computer network or updating your website come to mind. If there is, hire someone to help. This “expense” becomes an investment if the time you save allows you to implement a great idea that makes you money.
If you are just procrastinating on some of these great ideas, maybe you have a mental or emotional block. Maybe the project scares you on some level. Maybe you’re afraid of success. Maybe you’re not confident you can actually complete the project. If any of these things sound true, don’t just sit there worrying about it; take action. Talk to your mastermind, accountability partner or coach about it. If you don’t have anyone to talk to, find someone. And don’t just talk. Figure out what support you need so you can overcome your fear and get off your butt. Then get started.
Finally, just because someone else has implemented your great idea first, doesn’t mean you can’t do it also. For example, if you had a great idea for a joint venture project with a leader in your industry and someone beats you to it, the idea isn’t dead. You just need to find a new joint venture partner. There’s enough business to go around if you have the courage to reach for it.
Andrea J. Stenberg
