Self Imposed Deadlines

For as long as I can remember, I have had a lot of ideas swimming around my head. Even as a kid, I was amused by things around me that got my mind going. To call me curious would be an understatement. And while I am forever grateful for my curiosity, it can make execution difficult. Add being a perfectionist to the mix, and you have a perfect cocktail for a lot of dreaming and not a lot of doing. I know I am not alone in this. I talk to others on a regular basis who face the same struggle—I believe it is at the core of human nature. Some call it fear of success, some call it fear of failure, and I have even recently heard it referred to as the lizard brain. Whatever you call it, it is real, but it is only as strong as we allow it to be—which sounds nice, but is sometimes easier said than done.

I have been very blessed in my life to have some incredible experiences. All in all, I am a very lucky man. But as I look back on my life, I can distinctly see the mental barriers that slowed me down or even stopped me from pursuing certain opportunities. I look back on my past with a sort of fond determination. Fond because I am full of gratitude for where I am, and determination because I am always striving for more. It is a delicate balance—one I am working everyday to achieve.

There are several tools I use to help fight the blocks and overcome the nebulous cloud of ideas floating around my brain, but there is one in particular I am especially excited about and want to share here. I recently organized a small group of close friends to form a creative consortium of sorts. We meet every week on a weekday morning. The group is designed to serve three purposes.

1) Give each of us a platform to share our ideas and crystallize them into coherent thoughts. And I mean ANY idea. So far we have discussed everything from Sketch Comedy and Comic Books, to E-commerce and sales efficiency and beyond.

2) Use honest feedback to decide which ideas are worth pursuing. This is the weeding out process. After we empty our brains out into reality, we start picking the best ideas.

3) To execute, or as Seth Godin puts it: to ship. Through the group, we impose self deadlines and we actually report our progress to the group each week. On top of that, each week one of the group members has the chance to present and discuss their most exciting ideas.

I am very excited for where this might take us.

LaunchUp: The Entrepreneurial Rock Concert

There is something magnetic about people pursuing their dreams. Not just thinking, hoping or wishing, but actually making the dream a reality. This is why I love being around other Entrepreneurs and start-ups. The energy, the excitement, the fire, the positive goal driven mentality—it’s all, well, awesome. I could literally sit and listen to Entrepreneurs tell their story for hours on end. I love hearing how the idea was born, how it moved from their brain to paper or prototype, and how they overcame obstacles. In a less mystical way, I also love hearing about the business plan, their launch strategy, and long term goals. Seriously, in many ways, hearing this kind of stuff is better than a rock concert. This is why I was naturally drawn in by the LaunchUp Events.

If you live in Utah, and you don’t know what LaunchUp is, you really should take a look. In essence, it’s a room full of passionate people listening to Entrepreneurs and start-ups share their dream turned reality. And it gets even better, because after each young company presents, the group engages in Q&A and the whole event wraps up with break-out sessions in every corner. Launch-up is great because not only do you get to bask in the energy of Entrepreneurial greatness, you get to be involved. You can offer advice, insight, or even financial support. I dare anyone to go to a launch-up, truly get engaged there, and then leave not feeling challenged and inspired. The energy in a room full of entrepreneurs is invigorating, it’s contagious, and if you live in Utah, it’s right at your fingertips. I give my endorsement with one warning, however, attending a LaunchUp is the gateway drug to pursuing your own dreams, so be prepared to have your fire stoked and your passion ignited. And like all great gateway drugs, LaunchUp is free.

(Disclaimer: I am not connected to LaunchUp.org in any way. This is not a paid endorsement, just me sharing something I think is great. Also, I don't do drugs, never have, never will. I don't need that stuff to get a rush on life. My reference to gateways was for emphasis and a tongue in cheek joke, nothing more.)