The Superstar Effect: How to Get Maximum Results When You Have Too Many Ideas

What does one do after you have too several ideas you wish to figure on however restricted time?

For the primary few years when beginning alphabetic character, this was a state of affairs i used to be perpetually in. whenever I worked on one thing, new ideas would start off of obscurity. i'd be torn between (a) continued what i used to be doing and (b) embarking on my latest plan. Doing the previous meant the new plan would got to be placed on hold. On the opposite hand, doing the latter meant I had to place no matter i used to be doing on hold. Doing each at an equivalent time was a no-go since it might split my attention 2 ways that. It gave the impression of I might ne'er win.
Too several ideas, Not Enough Time
For example, here area unit a number of my business to-dos (and want-to-dos) throughout 2011:
Create new content — Write new articles
Continue current selling approaches (Guest posting, media reaching, etc.)
Explore new selling ways (Check out new social media sites, etc.)
Increase revenue
Start a replacement video channel (which has since been launched as Celes.TV in February ’12)
Create a replacement e-book
Create a replacement course
Create e-book versions of booming past challenges
Collaborate with a similar-size journal to form a product or service
Create a blogging e-book (for readers fascinated by blogging)
Conduct another spherical of Blogging Success Course, my blogging course
Create a follow-up blogging course / blogging mentorship program for in progress support
Conduct a replacement challenge
Grow my Facebook page and Twitter
Approach literary agents to explore book deal opportunities (for ancient publishing)
Ideas would come back associate degreed endure an in progress basis, however the trend was that i'd continually have additional ideas than I might execute.
Path A: maximising My Personal Productivity
Not needing to rent (it’s merely not in line with my business model) nor source (I wasn’t able to source then), my solely choices left were to (a) range my tasks higher and (b) work quicker.
I cultivated several productivity habits throughout this point. I developed a decent eye for trimming things right down to necessities. I aforesaid no to something that may take Pine Tree State off from my goals. I became additional economical. I developed my very own productivity system that helped Pine Tree State continue high of all my comes and acquire the simplest out of my days. From 2009 through 2010, I became quite the quick employee.
Path B: Zooming right down to 2-3 huge Priorities
Working quick is nice, however there’s a limit to how briskly you'll work. i spotted that I required to be choiceful, so in 2010, I started a replacement habit whereby i'd choose 2 many} priorities and work on these priorities and zilch else for a few months.
By then, I had eliminated several Quadrant three and four tasks and was specializing in my Quadrant two, high-impact tasks a day, thus this new strategy was a maximize wherever i'd specialize in my biggest priorities at intervals Quadrant two. These would sometimes comprise of 2 in progress priorities and one new project. as an example, “Marketing the blog” (ongoing), “Content creation” (ongoing), and “Write new e-book” (new). Or “Create/Run a replacement challenge” (new), “Marketing the blog” (ongoing), and “Optimize web site layout” (ongoing). And so on.
This helped vastly in driving focus. For any new ideas that came in whereas i used to be engaged on different priorities, i'd add them on my “emerging ideas” list and wait until my next review before considering them. when i used to be regarding ninety fifth finished current priorities, i'd establish my next 2 to 3 huge priorities, and work on them next. And so on.
Using this approach, I launched numerous prime quality e-books, conducted numerous challenges, wrote several new articles, inflated PE’s net traffic by over ten times, launched alphabetic character forums, swollen alphabetic character from being simply a journal to a private development platform, conducted various workshops, and worked with several new matched work purchasers — all between 2010 and 2011. while not a doubt, this methodology helped Pine Tree State to be terribly prolific.
However, Some Limitations
In spite of that, I still felt one thing was off:
Every time I worked on my huge priorities, I couldn’t work on anything. Everything had to be placed on hold till i used to be done. (Yet, if I didn’t range, i'd be featured with the initial drawback of a scattered, ever-growing stir list. it had been a catch twenty two.)
There were times once I questioned the trade-offs of engaged on these huge priorities and them solely. as an example, writing a replacement e-book over conducting a replacement course. Isn’t it attainable that the course might prove to be additional profitable project the e-book? Or say, isn’t it attainable that i'll miss one thing vital whereas busy writing the e-book? I will ne'er understand.
At times I felt torn between the priorities I had zoomed right down to. Say I selected to form associate degree e-book and run a replacement challenge. With making a replacement e-book, I actually have to set up, write, design, produce the sales page, and market the book. With running a replacement challenge, I actually have to form a topic, style the tasks, style the selling material, do the selling, created the forum, write the launch material, then write the daily tasks and supervise the running of the challenge. These area unit all tasks that take time, and that i can’t be doing 2 things promptly.
The additional I used this approach, the additional obvious these problems became. It wasn’t till last year once I finally discovered the solution to my problem.
Aha Moment: Realizing there’s a Path C
So it had been one more review session on behalf of me, wherever i used to be distinctive my new priorities for following quarter.
As I started my analysis method of consideration one project over another to come to a decision that to figure on, I felt conflicted. should i actually opt for one factor over another again? i assumed. however all of them area unit vital in their own means. Is it one more few months of doing A and B solely whereas ignoring C and D? I felt weary; jaded.
As I lingered over the things on my list — selling my journal, making content, increasing revenue, launching new e-books, launching new courses, cathartic additional freemiums, etc. — suddenly, one thing clicked. Suddenly, I saw a pattern that I had ne'er seen before. because it clothed , I don’t got to opt for 2 to 3 priorities. Neither do I actually have to settle on between my 2 to 3 shortlisted priorities.
That’s as a result of all my “priorities” extremely converge to an equivalent finish purpose eventually.
Allow Pine Tree State to clarify.
Example #1: specialize in Revenue Generation
Let’s say I choose revenue generation as my high priority for following 2 months. In my business, this sometimes suggests that making a replacement high price info product. whereas making a replacement product takes a decent one to 2 months, I receive the reward right when launching it, in terms of the revenue generated from sales. Post launch, this can become as a further, permanent revenue stream to my business. Clearly, this accomplishes my revenue objective.
However, making a product can do over simply offer Pine Tree State additional financial gain. it'll also…
Strengthen my worth giving at alphabetic character, as a result of i will be able to have a replacement high worth product in my product lineup at alphabetic character. several readers can take pleasure in this product as opposition if I had ne'er launched it.
Help ME reach new individuals, since the those who purchase it's going to mention it en passant to their friends too, because of the huge edges they get from mistreatment it. This has been the case for Live an improved Life in thirty Days Program, Be an improved ME in thirty Days Program, and alternative alphabetic character courses.
So not solely do i buy a lot of financial gain from launching a replacement product, I’ll conjointly improve my website content and accumulated readership/awareness of alphabetic character at a similar time.
Example #2: specialise in Content Creation
Now, let’s contemplate a distinct example. Let’s say, i select content creation as my priority for consequent 2 months. this implies writing top quality articles on alphabetic character for complimentary as I’ve been doing within the past few years. making new content can facilitate to enhance the worth of the alphabetic character content to existing readers.
However, is that this the sole effect? No, not at all. presumptuous the articles square measure literary and resonate with readers, some can proactively share them with their friends and family, just because they need their beloved ones to learn from the fabric. This will…
Lead to Associate in Nursing organic growth in traffic because of word of mouth.
With the traffic growth, it'll cause a rise in revenue, since higher audience means that the next likelihood of product sales further as higher clickthroughs for the location advertisements.
Clearly, after I build my content, I’m not simply growing my content: I’m conjointly growing the alphabetic character in alternative aspects, as well as growing my traffic and increasing my revenue, due to the result effects of growing my content. I’m not simply doing one issue — I’m very accomplish 3 things at a similar time.
Suddenly, what looked like conflicting priorities in my business all this whereas aren’t conflicting priorities… they're merely aspects of a similar goal — to own Associate in Nursing abundant business in terms of audience, earnings, and worth giving to the planet. Whichever item I specialise in, I’ll be at the same time “accomplishing” the opposite things at a similar time, thus there’s no have to be compelled to “choose” one issue over another in and of itself, the maximum amount as it’s regarding selecting one issue that I care the foremost to figure on.
Excellence at One issue = Eventually Achieving Everything
This realization was Brobdingnagian, as a result of for the primary time, i noticed everything on my disturbance list is congruent with one another. there's no categorisation or conflict. All of them square measure merely completely different stream streams within the mountain, whereby all the streams with their nooks and crannies eventually lead ME to a similar huge ocean.

Of course, this will solely happen as a result of all my to-dos area unit already Quadrant two tasks — massive rocks that move my business within the positive direction — and this came from 1st artfully prioritizing (as I shared within the opening) and making the right foundations in my business.
What this implies is that instead of be confused and conflicted regarding that project to figure on next, I ought to extremely (a) decide one thing and go, and (b) decide the factor that I’m most captivated with doing and that’s most in line with my personal mission, specified I will reap most rewards at once. For me, this implies content creation (whether by method of articles or courses), since I fancy sharing regarding my life and data and dealing with folks to assist them grow. As I concentrate on this chunk and get it on exceptionally well, traffic, revenue, and alternative items of the puzzle can naturally fall under place over time.
And it’s a similar for you too. no matter work things that you simply feel conflicted over prioritizing right away, likelihood is they extremely bring you to a similar finish place — of growth, of data acquisition, important creation to the globe, of armament yourself with higher skills for your role, etc. (This is assumptive that these things area unit already Quadrant two tasks). Many times, massive projects/goals have additional reticulate effects on one another than we predict. This brings Pine Tree State to the expert result (and expert Halo).
The expert result (+ expert Halo): Winner Takes All