Business
Episode 290: 3 Steps to Becoming An Idea Detective with Barbara Winter Barbara Winter is back as a pioneering self-employment advocate, writer, and teacher who has spent the last thirty years pondering the question, “Why aren’t we all self-employed?” Helping others discover a Joyfully Jobless life is her favorite occupation. Barbara says, “nine out of ten of us in the 1900s grew up in entrepreneurial homes. Now, the numbers are reversed; nine out of ten people are employed.” One way to promote your entrepreneurial spirit is by becoming an idea detective. Barbara and I hear clients on two separate sides of the idea spectrum. The first side is, “I have too many ideas and don’t know what to do with them all.” The second side is not having enough ideas or a strategy to gather ideas to explore opportunities. I asked Barbara to share three of her six steps to becoming an idea detective so whichever side of the idea spectrum you are on, you can advance your ideas with a strategic approach. We discuss three of six steps to becoming an idea detective. The other three will arrive next Monday. Find your curiosity. We discuss where our curiosity might have gotten snuffed out and how to bring ideas to life. We are born curious. Many quiet the curiosity voice growing up. Pondering life keeps our imagination fed. You can make friends with your curiosity again. Stay on alert and keep searching for new ideas. Be deliberate. Invite ideas. “Think of your business as a laboratory and not an assembly line,” says Barbara. Pay attention to ways you can capture new ideas. Barbara wakes up with this brain-engaging activity every morning. She asks herself, what’s missing? And, what do I want to change today? You can keep your ideas moving with questions. We discuss how to solve inertia. You will hear what effect 19 months of isolation have had on Barbara and her creativity. She has solid strategies that help her move forward and discover new things. She even offers Brainstorming sessions, which I took her up on, to keep moving my book ideas forward. Audition Your Ideas. Auditioning my ideas has given me a structure to rolling out new ideas. A way to test them out on audiences to see if they are worthy for the next steps. Barbara is one of the wisest and most fun idea detectives I have ever met. I always pick up new ideas and strategies in being joyfully jobless. Let me know how implementing these three steps go. DOWNLOAD Please do the Conscious Attentive Leadership Mentoring (C.A.L.M.) Activities, below. Podcast Sponsor Strategies to Grow Your Business Monthly Bookkeeping Payroll Services Back Office Strategies and Support Contact Us Now Episode Resources Barbara's 3 Other Podcast Conversations Employee Mindset vs. Entrepreneurial Mindset | WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCASTIt Is Time To Explore Multiple Profit Centers | WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCASTPortfolios of Inspiration | WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCAST Barbara Sher Barbara Sher Hugh MacLeod Hugh MacLeod, Ignore Everybody Steven Pressfield Steven Pressfield, The War of Art Conscious Attentive Leadership Mentoring After listening, do the following three C.A.L.M. Activities: Take this risk or do this adventurous task: Implement the three steps in becoming an idea detective this week. Find your curiosity if you buried it. Invite ideas by asking yourself two questions Barbara asks herself each morning, what’s missing? And, What do I want to change today? Audition your ideas by finding an audience to test out ideas. See what happens. I’ll have three more steps for you next Monday. Apply Self-Compassion: Acknowledge the enthusiasm building within as you implement your first three steps as an idea detective. Welcome Appreciation: “I appreciate the joy and enthusiasm Barbara infuses into our conversations. Her delight in life and passion for helping others live a joyfully jobles...