6-Step Process When You Have So Many Ideas And Don’t Know Where To Start
“Take one dream at a time. If you try to tackle them all, it’s not going to work.”
— Amanda McKinney
“I’m overwhelmed. I have so many ideas that I want to offer. Where do I start?”
This question came through recently and it was so good I had to share! If you’ve ever struggled with ‘too many ideas,’ then this episode is for you.
I share a simple six-step process on how to navigate this so you can actually make progress on all your ideas! Let’s do this!
Feeling overwhelmed?
First, before we go any further, acknowledge the feeling of overwhelm. This feeling usually comes about because you have a long list of things you want to do and a list of things you have to do.
Know that you’re not alone! I hear this all the time. Yoga teachers are multi-passionate entrepreneurs. If you want to learn more about being multi-passionate (and how to navigate this in your yoga business) then listen to my recent conversation with D’Ana Joi: How to Grow Your Business as a Multi-Passionate Yoga Teacher.
Then: Please write down everything that you already HAVE done. You’ve done so much. In reality, you’ve done so much more than you’ve given yourself credit for.
Six-step process to clarity
Follow this six-step process whenever you need to figure out where exactly to start.
Step One: Make a list of all the things that are on your mind right now.
Work-life balance is a bit of a myth. We want to work towards balance, but it’s almost never going to be equal. We have to look at all of this together: Life stuff, business stuff, all of it.
Write down your list of everything that’s on your mind: Everything you want to do, have to do, should do, anything at all that is on your mind. Get everything out of your head and onto a piece of paper.
Step Two: Split your list into two main categories.
Take the one long list and split it into two categories: “Necessities” and “Dreams.” For example, homeschooling your kids is a necessity. The idea of hosting a yoga retreat isn’t a necessity, it’s a dream.
Step Three: Put the dream category on the shelf for now.
Put the dream category aside for now so you can figure out the necessities first. Until you get the necessities wrapped up, you don’t have the capacity to start working towards a goal or dream. You don’t have the brain power, the time, calendar space, or the energy. You have to take care of the necessities first.
Step Four: Look at your necessities.
Ask yourself: What is feeling overwhelming on the necessity list?
Step Five: Find systems and processes for the necessities.
Find systems that will help the necessities feel easier. When the necessities become more routine, you don’t have to think about them as much and you can take on more of the tasks on your “dream” side. You want to work towards making the necessities fully automatic and routine, almost like brushing your teeth.
Step Six: Tackle the dream category!
Once you’ve got the necessities automated, then we can focus on the dreams list! With this category, I want you to reorder them in order of excitement, not “do-ability.”
Whichever dreams excite you the most go on the very top of the list. That’s the one you’ll tackle first when you have the capacity. Take one dream at a time. If you try to tackle them all, it’s not going to work.
Your next step
I really hope this was helpful for you today. If it was and you’d like even more help with going through this process that I outlined, this is the type of support I give inside Thrive, my membership for yoga teachers, and I’d love for you to join.
But even if Thrive isn’t for you, I’ve still got a next step for you — your next step is to make that list of necessities and dreams if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Make the list and start to get systems in place for the necessities so you can then get to work on your dreams.
Until next time, give yourself permission to release the feeling of overwhelm and grace along the way.
For more stories like this, listen to the Marketing Yoga with Confidence Podcast.
About Amanda McKinney (Marketing Coach for Yoga Teachers)
Amanda McKinney is a Marketing Coach with a passion for helping yoga teachers find the tools and the confidence within themselves to build the yoga business of their dreams. She does this through her podcast: Marketing Yoga With Confidence and online offerings. All of which focuses on building confidence and community with an extra dose of encouragement every step of the way.
