THE IDEA FLIGHT KIT everything you need to get your idea up and flying Jenny Shih jennyshih.com
INTRODUCTION I wrote this for you, the idea person. I wrote it because I know you have something HUGE to share with the world, and I don t want anything to stop you from working your magic and doing your thing. Think of me as your copilot. You re in charge, and I m here to help launch and land your idea safely. This guide will lead you down a path of asking the right questions and taking the right steps to bring your idea into the world. In each chapter I ve included an estimated time to complete the section. They are to help you moderate your planning so you can take it one step at a time and avoid overwhelm. PAGE i Now, let s get started.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Step 1: Initiation 3 Step 2: Preflight Checklist 6 Step 3: Flight Plan 13 Step 4: Lift Off and Fly 14 Step 5: Touchdown 15 Step 6: Excursions 19 Resources 24 About Jenny Shih 21 Affiliate Policy and Copyright PAGE ii
STEP ONE: INITIATON You get an idea. You get excited. You want to do this thing. You know it s going to change the world. (You can feel it.) This is Initiation. I m not going to talk about how to make initiation happen. You don t need help with that. You re a magician when it comes to creating ideas. They come to you out of nowhere, it seems. It s when you want to move on the idea that you get stuck. PAGE 1
STEP ONE: INITIATION 5-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #1 What idea do you have right now that you want to get up and flying? PAGE 2
STEP TWO: PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST NOW IT S TIME TO GET SPECIFIC. What s the destination? What aircraft is taking you there? Don t worry - I ll hold your hand the whole way. On the next two pages you have plenty of space to think. Take it one question at a time. PAGE 3
STEP TWO: PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #2 What do I want to do? Why do I want to do it? Who is this cool new thing for? How is it going to work? PAGE 4 The System Flight Kit
STEP TWO: PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #2 ( CONT D ) Where is it going to happen? (on the phone, in your bathroom, in Bulgaria) When is it going to happen?* How much is it going to cost?* PAGE 5 * Don t worry if you can t answer all of the questions yet. When you can t answer questions, put down a range or a best guess or your heart s desire. For example, if you don t know when it s going to happen, but you know it will be at least May but no later than September, write down May - September. You can always come back later and refine your answers. The System Flight Kit
STEP THREE: FLIGHT PLAN NOW IT S TIME TO MAP YOUR COURSE. You re not going to fly from Oregon to Italy without knowing the path. Do you have a layover in Chicago or Hamburg? Or is it a direct flight, taking you over Canada and Greenland? You need to map out the details to get to where you want to go. This is the most important step--and sometimes the most challenging. Put time into it. There s no rush. The magic will happen when it s supposed to. We re going to map the plan from where you are right now to where you want to go. PAGE 6
STEP THREE: FLIGHT PLAN 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #3: GET IT ALL DOWN There are several ways to do this: Pen and paper Your computer, using something like Word or Excel Fancy-dancy project management software like MS Project or Basecamp I m going to suggest you start with pen and paper or a document writing software like Word or Pages. Keep it simple. Write everything down that you think needs to get done in order for your idea to fly. If you re using pen and paper, skip a line between each item--you ll use the space in the next step. For example, if you wanted to run a six-month program to help people lead healthier lives, your list may start out looking something like this: SIX MONTHS TO A HEALTHIER YOU advertise in my newsletter create worksheets creating recipes and shopping lists create list of resources set up class forum put on my website etc... As you can see, there s no order to the list. PAGE 7 We re just starting out with a catch-all place for every little thing that you can think of. I can almost guarantee that you ll think of something as you are falling asleep tonight or during yoga tomorrow. The System Flight Kit
STEP THREE: FLIGHT PLAN 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #3: GET IT ALL DOWN ( CONT D ) That s fine. Write it down and add it to the list when you think of it. This happens to me with every project. Now it s time to take a break. You re one-fourth through the planning process, and the planning is usually more challenging than the doing. Go for a walk, pet the cat, or make a cup of tea. PAGE 8
STEP THREE: FLIGHT PLAN 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #4: BREAK IT DOWN Once you ve made the list, we re going to see if they can be broken down into smaller tasks. A task is a discrete to-do item. A task is not several to-dos clumped together. For example... Let s say that one of your listed items for your six-month program is to advertise in your newsletter. Advertise in newsletter is not a task. It s several to-dos clumped together, including... writing newsletter copy determining newsletter mailing date adding copy to the actual newsletter scheduling and sending the newsletter Depending on how your newsletter system operates, there may be additional task required; but this is a good start. Now, go through your list from Part 1 and break each item down into discrete todo items. For the six-month program on Page 7, it may look like this: SIX MONTHS TO A HEALTHIER YOU PAGE 9 advertise in my newsletter write newsletter copy determine mail date The System Flight Kit
STEP THREE: FLIGHT PLAN 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #4: BREAK IT DOWN ( CONT D ) add copy to newsletter schedule and send newsletter create worksheets determine number of worksheets determine worksheet topics type out worksheets creating recipes and shopping lists determine number of weeks for recipes and shopping lists determine number of recipes per week choose weekly themes (eg, vegetarian, low salt, etc.) choose recipes type out recipes type out shopping lists etc... If you re using a computer to compile your list, you can type them wherever it seems logical to you. If you re using pen and paper (my preferred method), write the items off to the side, in the margins, or wherever there s space. If there s something you ve stumbled upon that you don t know how to do or don t know what it will take to complete, make a note of it. Put a star next to it or a circle around it. You ll come back to it in the next step. Now it s time for another break. You re half way through the planning process. PAGE 10 Way to go! Go relax or do something fun.
STEP THREE: FLIGHT PLAN 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #5: MAP IT OUT Now we re to the fun part. (At least I think it s fun!) You re going to put all of the discrete items in order (or at least some semblance of an order). Not every item will have a clear order, and that s okay. There are three ways to do this. 1. If you re using pen and paper, either start numbering your list from the previous parts, or write a new list, now in order. (It won t be perfect, so use numbers, too.) 2. If you re using your computer, rearrange the items accordingly and keep adjusting until it looks right. 3. Another method I like is the index card method. Put every single task on an index card. Lay them out on a table or on the floor, then rearrange them until they re in an order you re satisfied with. Tack them to a wall or door so they are visible as you work through the steps of your project. It works like magic. You will not find an exact order to every task. That s perfectly fine. Some things will need to come before others, and your list should reflect the general order. Keep the notations next to the items that you don t know how to do or don t know what they entail. Now it s time for another break. You re three-quarters of the way through the planning process. Woo-hoo! Go chill for a while, before you launch into the final part of this section. PAGE 11
STEP THREE: FLIGHT PLAN 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #6: ADD A TIMELINE Now you re in the home stretch. This last step will help you put a realistic timeline on your project. It s a good idea to do this step so you re not rushing to make something happen. There s nothing worse than pushing a great idea to happen too soon and burning yourself out in the process. Take each item from your list in Action Step #5 and put an estimated time to completion on it. It could be 2 hours or 2 weeks. Be realistic. Consider that you have a life and a business to run, in addition to working on this project. Now, add it all up and make a rough estimate. How long is it going to take you to launch this thing? (I could start talking in fancy project management terms about critical path and risk factors, but I have a feeling you re a creative entrepreneur for a reason, and you avoid words like those on purpose. So make your best guess. It ll be close enough.) Once you have date or timeline, do a gut check. How does it feel? Too soon, too late, iffy? Sit with it. Ask for input from others who ve done something like what you re doing. There is no right answer. It s whatever feels good to you. PAGE 12 You did it! You created a plan for your world-changing awesome idea. Go get a massage or treat yourself to something great. You deserve it! (And you need to rest up for Step 4: Liftoff and Fly--when the action-based work begins.)
STEP FOUR: LIFT OFF AND FLY You ve mapped this idea s flight plan. You ve put a timeline on it. You know how you re going to get from Oregon to Italy, how many layovers you have, and what your aircraft will be. NOW IT S TIME TO LIFTOFF AND FLY. This is where you execute the tasks you listed above. Every one of them needs to get done to create your masterpiece. Here are tips for this step. 1. Start at the beginning. Take one step at a time. 2. Take it easy. Don t rush. Give yourself some time to complete each step. 3. Mark your progress. If you re using index cards, mark them with a star, or move them to a different wall to visually see what you ve done. If you re using a computer, change the color. If you re using a pen and paper list, mark them with a check mark or a gold star. 4. Ask for help. When you re changing the world, you don t need to do everything by yourself. Hire help. Barter with someone who has the skills you need. No one can change the world all by themselves. 5. Celebrate along the way. Just like I had you do in Step 3, find reason to celebrate your progress. How fun is it to change the world if you don t enjoy it? PAGE 13
STEP FIVE: TOUCHDOWN This step needs as little notice as Step 1: Initiation. AS EASILY AS IDEAS COME TO YOU, TOUCHDOWN WILL HAPPEN MERELY BY EXECUTING THE PLAN YOU VE CREATED IN THE PREVIOUS STEPS. You ve done it. You ve started your class, your program, your service, your website, your worldchanging, kick-ass, super-awesome thing. Touchdown! Here s to changing the world. Cheers! PAGE 14
STEP SIX: EXCURSIONS THIS STEP IS OPTIONAL. If you re feeling overwhelmed from all of the work you just did, take some time away from your idea and come back to this another time, when you re rested and ready. Now that you ve launched your thing and changed the world, what s next? You ve flown all the way from Oregon to Italy. Are you now going to hang out at the airport, or are you going to travel around? Of course you re going to take Excursions. The cool thing is that your idea can, too. Here are a few Excursions I d love to see more of. Life Coaches: You have worksheets upon worksheets available for when your clients need them. You put the time into the worksheets, so take them on an Excursion and compile the worksheets into a do-it-yourself coaching kit and sell it on your website. When you teach a class, record it and sell it on your site. This is a no-brainer for passive income. Compile your blog posts into books. PAGE 15 Graphic Designers: You have a process for working with your clients. Intake, research, mock-up, review, finalize. (Or something like that. I m not a graphic designer.) Make a brief downloadable ebook of your process. Put in your favorite tips and ideas and things like this always works and this is always a bad idea.
STEP SIX: EXCURSIONS Do-it-yourselfers will download the book, give it a shot, and maybe they ll come up with their own thing. Or maybe they won t because they realize that talent is required for graphic design and they don t have it. Either way, you ve now shown them that you re trustworthy and useful and they ll likely come to you for help this time or in the future when they re rich and famous and need some help. Dog Trainers: You teach fabulous in-person classes for people and their pups. I would love to see you video those classes and... 1. use them for marketing material online, 2. post your fabulousness on YouTube, 3. sell video-download classes for people who can t make it to your site for training, or 4. sell an upgrade option to folks who attend your classes, where they get the videos of the class as take-home review for an extra fee. I could write for days about Idea Excursions! PAGE 16 The System Flight Kit
STEP SIX: EXCURSIONS 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #7: PLAN AN EXCURSION To start an Excursion, as yourself these questions: What do I already have or what did I just create? Think about the same genre. If it s written word, stick to written word ideas. If it s audio, stick to audio ideas. Etc. See the end of this chapter and the Resources chapter for additional help. What are 10 ways it could be repackaged? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Which repackaging idea would be the easiest? PAGE 17
STEP SIX: EXCURSIONS 30-MINUTE TASK ACTION STEP #7: PLAN AN EXCURSION ( CONT D ) Which would be the most fun? Choose your Excursion destination. (Remember, you can always take another Excursion tomorrow, or next month.) Now, jump back to Step 2: Preflight Checklist and walk through the steps to make this happen. It will be easier the second time, I promise! Here are some ideas for Excursions, although this is just a start. Check out the Resources section for more Excursion ideas. PAGE 18 Written Excursions blog ebook workbook e-course sent via email Audio Excursions class by phone podcasts audio course sent via email single audio class free download on your website, so people get a feel for you Visual Excursions video class video marketing video blogging DVD
RESOURCES RESOURCES FOR FLIGHT PLAN: Getting Things Done, by David Allen Finding Your Own North Star, by Martha Beck (chapter 13) RESOURCES FOR LIFTOFF AND FLY: The Joy Diet, by Martha Beck Finding Your Own North Star, by Martha Beck (chapter 14) RESOURCES FOR EXCURSIONS: Borrowing Brilliance, by David Kord Murray Multiple Streams of Coaching Income, by Andrea J. Lee (not just for coaches!) RESOURCES FOR ONLINE PRODUCT SALES: PAGE 19 PayPal - This is quick and easy way to take payments online from anyone for anything. This is how I bill all of my clients. (aff link) E-Junkie - E-Junkie is a simple, effective tool to sell e-products from your website. You link your PayPal account with E-Junkie. E-junkie delivers the product to your customer and deposits money in your PayPal account. I set up all of my clients with E-junkie. (aff link) Aweber - Aweber s primary function is an e mail marketing. You can also link Aweber and PayPal. This means that if you create a 6 Week Series of Something Cool that gets delivered by email, someone can purchase it from your website and have it emailed to them automatically, each week for 6 weeks, without any intervention on your account. The money goes in your PayPal account and the emails go to their Inbox. (aff link)
ABOUT JENNY SHIH HI, I M JENNY SHIH, AN UNCOMPROMISING BUSINESS COACH WHO BELIEVES IT S ALL POSSIBLE. YOU CAN MAKE MONEY DOING WORK YOU LOVE WHILE ALSO LIVING A LIFE YOU LOVE. My clients are smart, motivated, and driven entrepreneurs who are fiercely committed to their own success and determined to make their business work. connect with me Me? I m a 50% left-brain and 50% right-brain INTJ, and I use all of my superpowers in everything I do. That means I know how to help you create a thriving business that doesn t require you to work long hours or sacrifice your life to make it happen. Instead, your business will support you and your lifestyle, however you want them to be. I take your big, world-changing ideas and use my project management skills, business and marketing know-how, love of strategy, hunger for efficiency, and comprehensive understanding of what makes people tick to help you create a business that s successful, profitable, and wildly fulfilling. I work with entrepreneurs who are just starting out and need a clear plan of action to get their business online and making money. I also work with experienced entrepreneurs who have been in business for awhile and are ready to step up their game and hit six figures. They re looking for the strategy, systems, and know-how to reach this next level in their business. I am fiercely committed to helping entrepreneurs realize that business doesn t have to be so hard. With my practical tips, step-by-step action plans, and straight talk, I love helping people like you build businesses they love that support lives the love. PAGE 20 You can do it. I can help. Learn more at JennyShih.com.
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