Where To Begin When You Have Too Many Ideas

I have never been accused of not having any ideas. While this might seem like a blessing at first blush, too many ideas can lead to “analysis paralysis,” or not executing on any of my ideas because I just don’t know where to begin.

Ideas can be a nudge from the Holy Spirit to carry a message to those around you. Here are some ways for you to process your ideas so they can get out into the world! 

Ideate
You have an idea! Don’t let this exhilarating moment pass you by! Jot down ideas immediately in a centralized place so you don’t forget them. If you are like me, I will wake up in the middle of the night with an idea. An easy way for me to remember the idea, rather than meditating on it and losing sleep, is to get up, go into the bathroom or closet, and speak it into my phone — then go back to bed. The idea is now out of my head, so I do not have to worry about losing it. 

Some tools that have helped me greatly include:

• An old-fashioned notebook or journal. I set my notebook in a consistent place for easy access.
• The notes app on my phone. I speak ideas onto this app through voice-to-text.
• A folder on my computer. I place my ideas in a Word document in that folder.
• The Evernote app. I have notebooks on Evernote and place notes in there.

Collate
Eventually you can gather your ideas together and arrange them according to category or theme. Compare and prioritize according to which ideas inspire you the most and which you perhaps feel the most qualified to write about. 

Some questions to consider:

• Are you familiar? Is this topic in a space you have written in before? 
• Are you qualified? Do you have the background to write about it?
• Are you inspired? Is it in line with what God has placed on your heart?
• Are you focused? Or is it a “squirrel” of an idea, distracting you from the message that really burns in your heart and resonates in your spirit?

Curate
Brainstorm and research your best idea, then share aspects of your topic with friends or in an online post to see if your topic has traction. 

Some ways to curate:

• Create a Facebook post on your idea, and see how people engage with that topic.
• Search for articles on this topic, and see if you have anything new to contribute.
• Write a blog post on your website, and see how your readers interact.
• Seek feedback from friends.

Create
Develop an action plan and prioritize which idea you are most motivated to write on first. Consider the pain points and key concepts you want to communicate about this topic.

• Outline. Brainstorm and write down an outline of the scope and direction of your topic.
• Write freely. Don’t edit as you write. 
• Write with purpose. What “sticky statements” communicate your topic’s main points?
• Repurpose. Create social media graphics, podcasts and videos that spread your message and attract more readers.

Sometimes too many ideas can feel overwhelming. But I’d rather have too many ideas than too few. Don’t shoot down ideas because you have too many, and don’t be afraid to dream freely about your ideas, even if they feel daunting. As Albert Einstein is noted for saying, “If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.” 

All for Jesus,
Denise

How do you process your ideas?