Practical Guidance for Everyday Life
From inspiration to action
Written and narrated by Eric Cuthbert, founder of My New Future CIC
How can you turn good ideas into reality? Eric Cuthbert explains how to test an idea, make a practical plan and take the first small step.
Prefer listening? Click below to hear Eric read this article.
In the last article, we looked at how to recognise opportunities in everyday life. Perhaps it prompted you to write down an idea of your own.
That is a good start. But what happens next?
A good idea can stay in your head for months, especially if you are waiting until you feel completely ready. The way forward is usually much smaller: find out a little more, try something simple, and learn from what happens.
Describe your idea in one sentence
Before making a plan, try explaining your idea plainly. You could start with:
“I would like to help [who] by [doing what].”
For example: “I would like to help busy parents by preparing simple activities for children’s parties.”
You do not need a perfect description. Putting the idea into words helps you see what you are actually proposing and makes it easier to discuss with someone else.
Find out whether people want it
The next step is to speak to a few people who might benefit. Ask about the problem they have now and how they deal with it. Listen carefully to their answers.
You may discover that your idea solves a real frustration. You may also learn that people need something slightly different from what you first imagined. Either finding is useful.
Try to ask open questions such as, “What is the hardest part?” rather than, “Would you buy my idea?” People often want to be encouraging, but the details of their experience will tell you more.
Make the first version small
An idea does not have to become a finished service or product straight away.
If you want to offer children’s party activities, you could help at one event. If you want to sell something you make, you could show a few examples and ask for honest feedback. If your idea is a community project, you could speak to the people you hope it will help.
A small trial lets you check how much time it takes, what it costs and what people value. You can then improve your idea before committing more time or money.
Think through what could get in the way
Enthusiasm matters, but practical questions matter too. What equipment would you need? How much time could you realistically give it? Are there costs, permissions or responsibilities to consider?
You do not have to solve everything today. Write down the questions and work through them one at a time.
This is where a second opinion can be particularly helpful. My New Future can help you research your idea, explore possible obstacles and turn your thoughts into a practical plan. It may flag up a situation you had not considered or suggest a question worth asking before you move ahead.
You can use that guidance to make your own decision with greater confidence.
Choose your next action
Finish by choosing one thing you can do this week. That might be speaking to three potential customers, checking a likely cost, making a sample, or setting a date for a small trial.
Keep the action specific enough that you will know when you have done it.
A good idea becomes real through a series of manageable steps. You may adjust your plans along the way, and that is part of learning. What matters is giving your idea a chance to be tested outside your imagination.
Ready to take the next step with an idea? Visit the My New Future website.
Written by Eric Cuthbert for The Family Grapevine.
Image: Depositphotos
