Eight Deadly Boring Ideas That Make All The Difference…
Today’s post is nothing fancy. In fact, I’m wondering if anybody will take it seriously at all. Because I don’t have any “secrets” to share or magical pills to give away. Only a few little tips that have made a HUGE DIFFERENCE in my success.
Now be warned, I’m sitting here with the window cracked… and there’s BBQ on the air… so it’ll be hard to concentrate… let me know if I get off topic… okay?
I really appreciate it.
And here we go.
Eight Deadly Boring Ideas That Make All The Difference…
Flappin’ Flashcards Laugh if you will, but I have an addiction to index cards. I write down headlines, notes, ideas, and just about anything you can think of on index cards. Why index cards? Because it’s an easy way to sort through information one chunk at a time.
And if you’re ever stuck for an idea… it’s like having random access to someone else’s brain. All you do is pick up a bundle of ideas and flip through.
Lines of Fury: You’re gonna hate me for this but I’m a big believer in defacing books. I’ll underline, highlite, and put little stars beside anything that catches my fancy. And I’m not above writing down my own thoughts in books. Some people probably want to burn me at the stake for saying this but it works. You’ll find it easy to review your favorite books and get a lot more out of them.
Checkin’ Mate: This is a big one. You’ll find that almost every expert has their own way of doing things. I personally like to use checklists. I have a checklist for writing articles, and headlines and everything that matters to me. It’s like having a second set of eyes look over everything you do.
Fire Fighting: With half a dozen projects on the go every day I find it hard to keep on track. Maybe you have the same problem? Either way, it’s easy to conquer.
Here’s what you do. Get a piece of paper out and write down everything you have to do. Write down the 3-5 most important and do them one at a time. This tip is dead simple but it’s priceless. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to tie my shoes.
Play It Again Sam: Now, I think you should buy every book and every marketing course you can get your hands on. But… and this is a big one… study them more than once. Your best ideas and your biggest breakthroughs will come over time. To paraphrase Heraclitus, “You really can’t step into the same stream twice.” I know this sounds a little simple but trust me on this one. Read, and reread because your competitors won’t.
Powerful Paper: You wanna know a big reason leaders are leaders? They lead! They aren’t afraid to have an original thought. Or… and this is a crazy idea… write it down. But there’s more to the power of paper than meets the eye.
Have a question? Well, all you do is write it down on the top of a page. Now, apply your cheeks to a chair and write! Fill that page with every answer you can muster. You might be amazed by your inner genius.
Look Where You’re Driving: Another biggie. You can work 24 hours a day 7 days a week and it’s like a tire spinning in mud if you don’t know what you want. I know.
Yes, it’s almost like goals are an “old school” idea but there’s a lot of power in knowing exactly what you want. And most of the great books on success are big on this one.
Borrow A Wagon: Wow. If I said this was a million dollar secret you wouldn’t believe me but this tip is bigger than Godzilla.
You see, When a farmer goes out to build a wagon he doesn’t reinvent the wheel… he looks at how his neighbor does it and copies it as close as can be. Of course, due to legal eagles and shotguns he wants to make his wheels a little different. And you should do the same.
Whenever you have a problem to solve go see how some other farmer has solved it. This is the first step. The second step is getting permission to use the idea or making it different.
And that’s about it. These are just some small ideas that have had a huge impact on my success. You probably have your own and I’d love to hear what you think.
If you like, you can even leave a comment below.
Jason The “Better Networker”
P.S. Please tip the waiter. If you enjoy this article and already subscribe to this blog please “tip” by sharing it with your friends on Twitter. All you have to do is click the little green “retweet” button on this post. Thank you.
New here? If you’re not a member yet then you can get your free tips sent straight to your inbox every time a new post is up. All you have to do is put your name and e-mail in the little box below. Presto!
4 Comments
Peter Montgomery on October 21st, 2009
I read every single post you send me.
I love this site.
The Play It Again Sam Tip Today caught my attention : “Now, I think you should buy every book and every marketing course you can get your hands on.”
I just picked up an Article writing Handbook edited by Frank a. Dickson for $3 in an Op shop (second hand shop)
I’ll go through it real soon and if I only get one good idea out of it.
That’s $3 well spent I reckon.
You never know where the inspiration will come from.
Pete.
[Reply]
October 21st, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Hey Peter,
Your comment made my day. I think
that’s something we have in common.
I buy everything I can… and if there’s
one good tip it usually pays for itself
many times over. 
[Reply]
You’re fire fighting Tip is such a huge one for me. Sometimes I feel bad about having so many different projects on the go at once….it’s like i’m not focused or something.
But seeing how you deal with that challenge really helps. All the best!
Chuk.
[Reply]
October 21st, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Hey Chuk, I’m glad you liked.
It’s a big one for me too. I mean,
with everything happening all at
once it makes it hard to stay on track.
Hope to see you back again soon.
[Reply]