For the last several weeks I’ve been flying around the country teaching during my summer of listening.
Throughout my presentations people often have “ah ha’s” or moments of insight. Those moments can be powerful. And yet, let’s be honest, they often don’t leave the room they are generated in. I too have sat in class, been blown away by an ah ha, only to leave and let my life and business take back over. I place the student manual on my smart shelf when I get home, and – the moment passes forever.
Some people however are able to advance the ball and capture the moment and its usefulness and drive a new result. What do they do that makes the difference? Practically speaking, I’ve observed three things.
- They capture the insight and turn it into an actionable statement. Before the moment passes, they ask the next question, which is, what specifically can I do next with this insight? “I” makes the insight personal. “Do” makes it actionable. “Next” looks at sequencing it.
- Before they leave the room, they write down the actionable statement and prioritize what they will take action on. This step is critical. Capturing the insight and intended action in the physical world is the next step in creating it. Prioritizing puts a critical lens on it and asks if you should do it now, or not now.
- Before the end of the class, they choose which actionable item to implement and decide on the timeframe. Then they enter details into their calendar and choose someone as an accountability partner to ensure its completion.
The supply of insights and ideas is high, however the supply of executional capacity, and the ability to focus on a thought long enough to bring it into the physical world is low. Making it extremely valuable.
Next time you have an insight that seems like it could change your world, remember, chances are, it won’t, if that’s as far as you go. Take it further. Now, go do something about it!
