We’re all inventors. We all have the power to create something bold, something new. We can choose to create something amazing, joyful and beautiful. We can birth something that will bring meaning into the world and enhance the lives of everyone.
Yes, we have that much power. We are inventors.
I’ve recently been inspired by my friend Jodi Chapman to create a new habit. In May, I’m going to begin each weekday with 90 minutes of writing. I’m crazy excited about the idea.
I’ve also fallen in love with video-making. It’s a wonderful way to have fun, share, and connect with others on a deeper and more personal level.
I challenge you to create something new. Invent for yourself and invent for others. Make your inventions inspiring, wild and creative. Make them simple, helpful and available.
The sky’s the limit for our inventions.
Don't allow your doubts, fears and failure stop you from taking action. If you don’t know where to begin or if you’ve been struck by inertia, help is available.
The following tips are designed to help you take action and invent something new.
That is what we are supposed to do when we are at our best—make it all up—but make it up so truly that later it will happen that way. ~ Ernest Hemingway
1. Choose a project. What is one thing that would change your life? Make it something that lights your fire and keeps you awake at night. Make it useful and bold. This is your baby!
Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines. ~ Brian Tracy
2. Set a goal and make a plan. Create a vision. Define the end result. Make a plan. You need to know how you will do it, what it will take and the deadline that you’re aiming for.
No dream can come true until you wake up and go to work. ~ Anonymous
3. Create action steps. Working from your plan, write down actionable steps in chronological order. It’s essential that the steps are clear and you know exactly what needs to happen.
Fear is a great inventor. ~ Proverb
4. Flip the switch on your fears. Write down the fears that you have around this project. Use your personal power to shift your perception about each fear. Decide how you can turn each fear into a motivating action.
A mantra can make the impossible possible. ~ Dr. Gautam Chatterjee
5. Create a mantra. Guy Kawasaki suggests we choose a 2-3 word mantra. Put it in your phone. Write it on a sticky note. Repeat it throughout the day. My mantra’s are “writing 90/5” and “videos are me.”
We were always dreaming of how it was going to be. ~ George Lucas
6. Tell others. Tell trustworthy family and friends about your dream. Ask for support. Build an excitement and energy around it. Make it so amazing that they want to line up to help you.
The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness. ~ Abraham Maslow
7. Be single focused. Do one thing at a time. If you want to write, write. If you want to read, read. If you want to study, study. If you need to research, research. Give your full attention to the task at hand.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined. ~ Henry David Thoreau
8. Ignore the unimportant stuff. Don’t spend time playing games or watching mindless TV or videos. Don’t be distracted by constantly checking social media or email. You choose how to spend your time. Make everything count.
I use my mind to solve problems and invent things. ~ Temple Grandin
9. Focus on the positive. Make a mental movie of your desired result. Imagine yourself in the scene. Create a feeling of success and add it to the movie. Dwell on the scene and feelings for a few minutes. Do this anytime you find yourself in a negative state.
If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. ~ Thomas Edison
10. Clear your head. Still stuck? Change your energy. Go for a short walk or run. Listen to music. Meditate or write in your journal. Then get back to work.
The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it. ~ Elbert Hubbard
11. Track your success. Keep a daily action log. Use it to see what’s working and what’s not. At the end of every week, reward yourself for your progress.
Results? Why, man, I have gotten lots of results! If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward. ~ Thomas Edison
12. Plan to fail. Perfection isn’t an option. Failure is an opportunity to learn and grow. Once you reframe failure, you’re free to begin again.
I invented adventures for myself and made up a life, so as at least to live in some way. ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky
13. Be you. Don’t chase fame. Don’t try to be someone else. Allow your uniqueness to shine. Celebrate who you are. Put your own spin on your creations. Be true to yourself.
We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down. ~ Kurt Vonnegut
14. Believe. Is your faith in, “I can” or “I can’t?” Drop your disbelief and continue to move forward. Put your energy into expecting the best. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anybody else?
I'm going to enjoy every second, and I'm going to know I'm enjoying it while I'm enjoying it. Most people don't live; they just race. They are trying to reach some goal far away on the horizon, and in the heat of the going they get so breathless and panting that they lose sight of the beautiful, tranquil country they are passing through; and then the first thing they know, they are old and worn out, and it doesn't make any difference whether they've reached the goal or not. ~ Jean Webster
15. Enjoy the journey. Success is found in the journey not the destination. Choose to feel good and do good every day. Appreciate the here and now. Count your blessings. Help others get what they want. It’s not all about you. It never was.
What are you inventing these days? Please share your thoughts below.
Please consider sharing the inspiration on Facebook and Twitter! I appreciate your support.
I think ‘be single focused’ was written specifically for me Tess. And this is part of my re-invention journey. As I’m slowly changing concepts of myself I’ve held for a long time wonderful things are appearing. Of course they were already there…but from the perspective I held, I couldn’t see them.
Love your tips…you’re the best ‘tipper’ I know.
Love Elle
xoxo