Do you ever feel like you have way too many ideas? For me, it’s like a floodgate.
I’ll go from a dangerous drought to a monsoon of ideas that I cannot even process.
I wish I could take a net and just scoop them all up, but that’s not how brains work.
So for now, here are some ways that I handle having too many ideas.
7 Ways to Handle too Many Ideas
Brain Dump
When you have a flood of ideas, getting them out can cause a panic.
What if you forget them? What if there is actually a gem in the mess of those thoughts?
Do a mind map to brain dump them all out. Organize later, just get them down first.
I used to use a notebook to mind map, but now I do it online.
I fell in love with MindMeister (referral link) because it’s easy to drag and drop the ideas to organize them after you type them all out. I use the free version as of right now.
Journal
For me, journaling is usually in the form of a blog post. I word vomit everything into a post which may never be published.
Once I get my general idea typed out, I then sit on it to see if it’s anything worthy of publishing.
Of course, a traditional journal is just as good if not better. Jot down all your ideas even if they are incomplete thoughts.
Whenever you feel uninspired, you can flip back through the pages to spark those brainwaves again.
Brainstorm
Bounce your ideas off of a trusted friend. You want this to be someone who is honest with you and not afraid to hurt your feelings.
However, if you’re really feeling an idea your friend says is garbage, perhaps go for it anyway. If it fails, there’s a lesson in that, and you prevent the dreaded “what if.”
If you decide to go for it, make sure the idea is something that aligns with your goals and core values.
I’ve jumped into way too many business ventures because it “looks cool” when in fact it’s nothing but a distraction from what I’m trying to achieve longterm.
Share
If you have an idea that you know you can’t handle, pass it on. This can be a project you can’t possibly take on or don’t know quite enough about to fully execute. Share it with a colleague.
For example, I think of niche sites I’d love to create all the time. Realistically, I can’t and won’t do half of the ideas I have.
If I know of someone who’s more equipped to make it happen, I will gladly share with them.
What people do with your ideas is up to them, but everyone always appreciates the thought.
By sharing with them, you’re complimenting their skills, showing thoughtfulness, and teamwork.
Sharing without expectation is the ultimate way to network.
If the person does execute on your idea, keep in mind that they owe you nothing.
Another option is to offer an article as a guest post. Guest posting is an excellent way to build backlinks and reach a new audience.
Sell
Using niche sites as an example, you can create a “business in a box” package. Create a series of articles, images, domain name ideas, reports, ebooks, and more to sell as PLR.
Why go through creating a bundle instead of setting it up yourself? Because there’s a lot more to running a website that just the writing.
It takes a lot of time for a site to make a profit, too. If you create a PLR bundle, you can potentially sell it over and over again for years to come.
You can also sell a single article to a blogger in a relevant niche.
Meditate
A lot of people swear by meditation to clear their thoughts. If you are like me and think you cannot meditate, you need to try to more than anyone.
People practice meditation. It’s an ongoing training of the mind. It’s an exercise to become more mindful and learn to be present.
Since so many of the most successful people ever meditate, it’s definitely something to practice. It’s a work in progress for me at the moment.
Currently, I use guided meditation apps on my phone.
Categorize
If you want to completely weed out some of the ideas that will only distract you, create core categories.
File your ideas into one of your main categories. If an idea doesn’t fit, ditch it.
This strategy helps thin out the thoughts that only leave you chasing shiny objects.
Conclusion
Racing thoughts and idea floods are distracting and can destroy focus.
Try these things to see if purging them helps clear your mind.
However frustrating too many ideas is at times, be thankful that you have them.
If the alternative is no new ideas, I am eternally grateful for a brain that creates anything at all!
Do you find yourself with too many ideas at times?
What do you do to process them?