I had to laugh as I was reading the book “Rework“, by Fried and Hansson, because I felt like I was reading about all of my clients! I work with perfectionists. In fact, this is why my book is entitled “JUST JUMP“!

I thought I’d share a few perspectives of this book that hit me as I read it. This is an extremely easy book to read, and I recommend it to anyone starting a business, but I think health professionals will particularly get good value out of some of their suggestions.

I have to admit that I didn’t agree with everything, but most of it was pretty right-on. What I didn’t agree with was the planning. The argument around writing or not writing business plans is probably as old as paper, itself. However, the reason I feel that some business plan is essential, and why I include a chapter on a 3-page business plan in my own book, is so that new business owners can identify their vision, goals and objectives. I’ve found that otherwise they just start their business, but without any sense of direction. Yes, I DO believe you have to JUST JUMP, but in order for it to be successful, you also have to do some planning.

So let’s look at a few of the pearls:

* Jump into your idea now. The longer you wait, the less likely you’ll do it. Be ok with learning as you go, or else you may never go!

* Narrow it down to the essentials. What do you really have to offer. Bottom-line it. Keep it simple.

* There are particular questions to help the reader really narrow down what problems they solve, is it useful and is it worth it? In many areas I felt I was reading my own words in JUST JUMP!

* This is a pearl and I’ll probably use this term (acknowledged, of course): “Communication Addition” I bet I don’t need to explain it, but how many hours have YOU spent on email, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, today??? CLOSE IT DOWN if you want to accomplish anything! Sound familiar??

* Along the lines of time management, this was also good: If you are tired, you are more likely to waste time doing something you don’t need to be doing, because you lack the motivation to do what you should be doing. Are you tired?

* I am a list-keeper, and I also do usually prioritize them after I write them down. So I tried the authors’ suggestion of just putting the most important things at the top. LOL: Sort of works!

* This is me: Let your customers outgrow  you! Do you know what that means? If not, read the book, grin!

* Pour yourself into your product. This made so much sense! When you’re motivated and pumped up, it just flows and is great! If you’re not in that mode, go onto something else.

* To go along nicely with the above point, act quickly when you’re inspired, because it won’t last. It ‘expires’!

* Hire only when it hurts. This will be a good tip for so many of my own clients who are at that stage of wondering if it is time, yet.

Bottom line: Jump in and check out the waters!

When you look back at your life, what do you want to see? No one ever looks back at life and says “Oh, I wish I hadn’t gone after that dream!” And it’s not like you can have a ‘do-over’ in life. So, again, jump in. As I say, “JUST JUMP.”

Margie

When clients often first start working with me, they start with tons of ideas, and those ideas just keep coming! In fact, it becomes VERY overwhelming for them, because they start to stress that they will forget them all!

As a consequence, I have them create what one client coined as an “opportunity booklet”.

Developing a vehicle to capture your ideas helps free your mind, in order to think of MORE ideas!

Try it for yourself.

Your booklet can be in any form. I prefer to write things down in an actual notepad – it can be any size. But I would also suggest you carry post-it notes with you, so you can jot down a thought at any location, when it comes to you. You can then add it to your booklet.

The booklet will continue to grow. That’s fine – it’s not a system that stops, just as your ideas don’t stop!

However, in my coaching process, we naturally have to move to the next step. So, I will have clients keep this booklet for about a week before I then instruct them to look at what they have written down so far and ask this question: “Does this help me achieve my goals right now?” If  the answer is yes, they use a highlighter over that idea.

The next step is to look at all the ideas that are highlighted, and then ask yourself which is most important. This is where you prioritize. We always want to do ALL the great things we come up with NOW, but logically we know that’s not possible. But we have to take SOME action, right? Prioritizing will help us take action.

As you look at all the things you’ve highlighted, which is most important to you to implement, now? Pick the most important item and to the left of that item, put the number “1″. Which is the second most important? List that as “2″. Do the same with the third most important item. Since you will continue to add to this booklet, don’t worry about the other ideas. However, I do suggest you review your booklet from time to time. However, FIRST focus just on completing these top three before seriously considering other ideas.

Through this process of capturing your ideas, you now can start developing products and services that feel right to you. AND it feels great taking action!

Let the planning begin!

If you struggle with this process, come visit my website and see if any of my services can help move you forward – www.meg-enterprises.com

Margie