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Adam Smith | May 31, 2013 | 12 Comments

Ideas, Timelines and Momentum

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Photo Credit: Lotus Carroll via Compfight cc

I am sure you have had a situation before where you wanted to hurry up and finish a project so you could either rest or get on to the next big idea. I know that I am usually this way and maybe you are, too.

Here is a recent story where I dealt with just that- weighing pressing timelines against ideas.

The eBook that I just released has been ready for awhile. Six months to be exact. It has just been sitting there. It stared me in the face everyday for the last 24 weeks.

I’m sure you are asking yourself, “Why did he do that???”

I just recently decided that it was ready to ship because I only had an action plan up to the release date. I didn’t have a plan in place for the weeks after the eBook came out. The idea, plan and execution of one project is just a small part of the plan. In the big picture view, it is just another piece of the puzzle. The even larger driver is the “after-the-project” momentum swing and execution of the big continuing plan. If you do something big and don’t continue executing bigger ideas, the momentum dies. You can apply that rule to whatever you do. With so many things out there wanting people’s attention, they will move on to the next big thing whether we like it or not.

I actually wanted the eBook in the public’s hands 3 months ago, but that didn’t happen either. The timing just was not right. Life was too hectic to take on a book release plus the normal projects I was already working on plus the extra media I was getting ready to add. Too much was happening at one time and I needed a break. I knew that I could not sustain it.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”565px” height=”” background_color=”#d9d9d9″ border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]When your schedule’s pace isn’t sustainable, you are left with short-term satisfaction & long-term burnout. [Tweet This.][/dropshadowbox]

Although completing a good product while honoring deadlines is better than never finishing, people will wait for greatness. Work through the temptation to give up and finish with a mediocre product due to time constraints. You may have to walk away from it for a little while, but that doesn’t mean your dream is over. Use the in-between time to prepare for starting up again. You and your dreams will be even better than without that extra preparation time.

So, what are some ideas are you working through right now? You can leave your comment below.

Filed Under: Focus

Adam Smith

I teach people how to have a greater impact through their work and their time. You can read more about me on my about page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. lhoenigsberg says

    May 31, 2013 at 7:44 am

    Hi Adam. Right now I am in Total Product Blueprint and Audience Business Masterclass (Brendon Burchard and Danny Iny respectively), and I listen to Pat Flynn and other podcasts. I am also in Michael Hyatt’s Platform U. My brain is about ready to explode, and trying to implement all this learning is near impossible. So, lesson learned and I am taking some weekends off to do nothing…(and that’s another thing that’s near impossible for me). But I think building in breaks is key to actually launching…otherwise we burn out and like you said, ship something inferior just to get it over with. Thanks for this great post!

    Reply
    • asmithblog says

      May 31, 2013 at 7:49 am

      Wow, you sound busy! Be encouraged! Rest puts you in 90-100% mode instead of 60-80% mode. You can actually get more done and still rest. There is a lot of information out there and it’s hard to know what to do with it all sometimes. Ha. Let me know on Monday what the weekend rest does for you. Thanks for reading!

      Reply
      • lhoenigsberg says

        May 31, 2013 at 7:54 am

        Hi Adam. I didn’t say I was going to read “this” weekend! LOL. But seriously…I’m listening. 🙂

        Reply
        • asmithblog says

          May 31, 2013 at 7:57 am

          haha

          Reply
          • lhoenigsberg says

            May 31, 2013 at 8:50 am

            I meant rest…not “read.” I must having reading on the brain. Have a great weekend!

          • asmithblog says

            May 31, 2013 at 10:33 pm

            I knew what you meant. 🙂 Have a great weekend too!

  2. Linda Lochridge Hoenigsberg says

    May 31, 2013 at 7:44 am

    Hi Adam. Right now I am in Total Product Blueprint and Audience Business Masterclass (Brendon Burchard and Danny Iny respectively), and I listen to Pat Flynn and other podcasts. I am also in Michael Hyatt’s Platform U. My brain is about ready to explode, and trying to implement all this learning is near impossible. So, lesson learned and I am taking some weekends off to do nothing…(and that’s another thing that’s near impossible for me). But I think building in breaks is key to actually launching…otherwise we burn out and like you said, ship something inferior just to get it over with. Thanks for this great post!

    Reply
    • asmithblog says

      May 31, 2013 at 7:49 am

      Wow, you sound busy! Be encouraged! Rest puts you in 90-100% mode instead of 60-80% mode. You can actually get more done and still rest. There is a lot of information out there and it’s hard to know what to do with it all sometimes. Ha. Let me know on Monday what the weekend rest does for you. Thanks for reading!

      Reply
      • Linda Lochridge Hoenigsberg says

        May 31, 2013 at 7:54 am

        Hi Adam. I didn’t say I was going to read “this” weekend! LOL. But seriously…I’m listening. 🙂

        Reply
        • asmithblog says

          May 31, 2013 at 7:57 am

          haha

          Reply
          • Linda Lochridge Hoenigsberg says

            May 31, 2013 at 8:50 am

            I meant rest…not “read.” I must having reading on the brain. Have a great weekend!

          • asmithblog says

            May 31, 2013 at 10:33 pm

            I knew what you meant. 🙂 Have a great weekend too!

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Hi, my name is Adam Smith and welcome to asmithblog.com. I am the author of the book, The Bravest You. Because of my work as an entrepreneur, consultant, writer, and speaker, I have been named a top industry influencer by American Genius. I live with my wife, Jasmine, and three children in Shenandoah, IA.

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