10 Tips for Taking Action on Your Big Ideas!

by Travis Thomas and Donald Kelly

It’s easy to think that living your passion, bringing an idea into reality, and creating a life that you desire are for those “other people.”

You know, those other people who have no fear, are genius thinkers, and have every detail and move figured out.

Those people.

Guess what, those people don’t exist. That is the illusion. In fact, the only difference between “those people” and YOU – is just a little courage and a few tips to get you started.

Donald and I are a testament to having a dream and vision, creating a plan, and then taking the leap.

Scary? Heck yes! Exciting? Oh yes!

So, here are our 10 Tips for Taking Action on Your Big Ideas!

1. Run at Your Fear! If your big idea doesn’t make you a little bit afraid, it’s probably not that big of an idea. Fear comes with the territory and it serves as a healthy reminder that your idea means something to you. It’s not about getting rid of the fear, but instead running at your fear and getting comfortable with it. It will always be there rearing it’s ugly head, but you’ll learn to turn it into your playful pet!
2. Set a Definite Plan. When we say leap, we assume you have put a lot of thought and planning into making your move. Create a plan, understand that it will not go perfectly to script, and be prepared to adapt and improvise. This is not about acting on rash impulse. Think about the worst case scenario, don’t ignore it, and ponder whether you have enough trust in yourself to make it work no matter what.
3. Ignore “Neh Sayers!” Your friends, family, and co-workers will not be short on opinions. Like bellybuttons, we all have them. But this is your dream, not theirs. This is your life, not theirs. Sure, it’s okay to listen to what they have to say, but at the end of the day, you are the one who has to live with yourself. There is no perfect path except the path you create!
4. Start Small. You know the saying about Rome. Your project and passion is no different. We are not saying that you won’t be a huge hit out of the gate or overnight success, but be prepared for the long game. Many entrepreneurs never start because they are intimidated by the enormity of the task. Instead of getting overwhelmed, think of one thing you can to today to take action. What are some goals for the week? A month? Take one step and now you have momentum.
5. SurroundYourself with The Right People. Who is your community? Your tribe? Who are the people that love your idea and are blowing wind in your sail? Surround yourself with those people. Donald and I created the DO BIG THINGS conference for this very reason. It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a community to launch big ideas. Our conference will provide the inspiration and education from world-class speakers in your backyard who have made their dreams a reality.
6. Embrace Failure. Yeah, it’s true. You don’t have all the answers. You will make mistakes, many mistakes, but that is where the biggest learning takes place. Don’t trap yourself into thinking you need everything figured out, because that day will never come. And like the wise Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face!” So yes, the punch is coming, so how will you respond?
7. Be the second 90%! 90% of all first time business fail. Ouch. But get this, 90% of all second time businesses succeed. Crazy right? But, less than 10% of people who fail the first time try again. Okay, so you got punched in the face. Get up, dust yourself off, notice what you learned, and get back in the ring (or on the horse), or whatever analogy works for you.
8. Hustle, Hustle, Hustle! Did we mention launching your big idea is a lot of work? Non-stop work. 24/7 kind of work. Checking e-mails at the beach and on the toilet kind of work? Yes, be intimidated, because you are going to invest some blood, sweat, and a whole lot of tears into this venture. It is going to be hard – but you are going to love it as the same time. It’s worth it!
9. Your “Why” Should Make You Cry! Mental conditioning coach Rob Bell coined this phrase, and I love it! You need to be abundantly clear “why” this is so important to you. The more this venture is connected to your personal purpose, the stronger the threshold you’ll have when things get tough. If your reason for doing this doesn’t get you at least a little emotional, than it might not be worth the grit it will take to make it a reality.
10. Have Fun. I know. I just laid some heavy stuff on you and now I am talking about fun. But come on, if this big idea is not fun…get out now. We all know the clichés about “it’s not work if it’s fun,” and it’s true. No matter how much work and sacrifice it requires, my guess is that there aren’t many other things you would rather be doing. So do it, and smile while you crush it!

Are there more than 10 tips? Absolutely. But these 10 will get you off the couch and on the path to turning your imagination into a manifestation.

Donald and I each made the leap individually just over a year and a half ago. When we connected for the first time we shared what we were going through (community), and how we both had the desire to put on an event to help people do the same thing.

The DO BIG THINGS conference on November 3rd and 4th in West Palm Beach is a big idea we have hatched together, and we hope to have you there to make it a reality. And while you’re there, get ready to launch a big idea of your own!

www.DoBigThings.net

Register here!