Barbara Sher’s Idea Party

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How Does the Online Idea Party Work?

You have a dream or a wish, and an obstacle to getting there. (If you don’t think you know your wish, work through my kick-starter and read this post. To learn why you must put logic aside to find your dream, read the following.)

The online Idea Party is here to help you – and the other fellow party goers – with your wishes and obstacles.

Voices from Success Teams and Idea Parties:

Having a team to report to and hearing what everybody did each week is very exciting. It’s kept me moving all year. In the past I made some good starts on my own, but found, every time, when the energy ran out, I ran out. Now it doesn’t run out.
Jade G.
Children’s Playroom Therapist, New York Hospital

I would do a painting a year, a sketch a year. If it was only me I know I would never do it. Having to tell you makes all the difference. It’s crazy why I didn’t do this years ago, it’s so easy all of a sudden.
Caroline R. Personnel Executive, Macy’s Dept Store

Post Your Wish and Your Obstacle Here!

And help your team mates out when you can. Use the Reply link to help, the form below the comments to add your own Wish and Obstacle.

(Your first comment below has to be approved, so it may not display instantly depending on the time of the day. Once your email address is approved you can post instantly. If you want your own profile photo to show up beside your comments, instead of the cute little design, upload your photo on Gravatar.com and give them an hour or so to make it happen.)

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4,554 thoughts on “Barbara Sher’s Idea Party

  1. I had this dream ages ago to invent and bring products to market and spent many years trying and this road has had many twists and turns. Right now I have a kickstarter campaign that is stirring things up – and was successful very quickly, but don’t be fooled – it was a lot of hard work that went on in the background, and an earlier campaign was not successful. (this is a very small amount) I’d be interested in your feedback. I had taken this idea so far that I didn’t want to drop it (it’s a very viable idea!), but once this worked out, I would bring more inventions to market. I always have a number of business ideas, not enough time to pursue them (or money). Wish I could find a good way to monetize that, and if finally getting this to market, I’d be considered an expert to others. I recently took a class on core values and your relationship with money and that has always been my issue – I’m almost afraid of making money! I LOVE my jobs, don’t mind working ever, but money is never the goal.
    Right now at 52 I’ve been rehabbing distressed properties and reselling and each project is alot of fun and I’m good at it. My investors make a profit and I get to “redecorate” and creatively figure things out.
    Please take a look at my campaign.
    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/864044349/an-awesome-system-to-prep-serve-and-store-food

  2. Wow! The Internet is amazing. It’s a world library and it’s full of different people. Now a support group I can join as an introverted person. I’m excited and looking forward to new friendly relationships.

  3. How’s this for shameful plagiarizing (with only a few modifications):

    “I love to talk and motivate people, share ideas , could walk out on a stage of 200 people and start talking about a few things I know and love every minute of it. I am into a lot of things — jack of all trades and master of none. Turned 60, retired from corporate marketing. No wife, no kids etc… career man… I don’t know where or how to start my new life.”

    My passions have been things that don’t pay: painting, sailing, skiing, hiking… you name it, if it doesn’t make money I’m probably into it.

    I’m curious to explore this site and see what happens — all contributions are gratefully received 🙂

    • Check out Business Network International in your area. You can meet and share other business minded people. Let me know how it goes!

        • I had a friend who was a hiking guide in hawaii – one of the most fun paid jobs he had. Then he left that and traveled the world as part of a sailing team on a fairly large private yacht. The family only used it 3-5 weeks a year, but different locations so they skippered it to where ever the family wanted to fly to.
          Skiing lessons, ski resort work?

    • I’m 60ish and ready for the next stage of my life. My obstacle is there are too many things I’m good at, for example. write, voiceover, detect deception (have a certificate), public reading (at church for now), de-clutter and organize, feng shui. I want to work and spend little time looking after a website. Barbara writes that if one is good at something, there’s a moral imperative to act on that. Right now, I’m doing nothing because the choices overwhelm me.

      • The moral imperative is to do what you love most, not what you’re good at, Dewline. We’re all good at lots of things but we only love doing what we’re gifted at. What do you love doing most?

      • You may be good at them, but do they turn out to be less fun if you HAVE to do so, vs volunteering? There are many many things I’m good at but just can’t revisit it cause I have a been there, done that… want something new. I know friends that are excellent at certain things for their own satisfaction, but don’t want to monetize it.
        Some seem like hard to go find money, but the one that stands out in your list is organizing and that is really a hot commodity, people have too much stuff and are overwhelmed. That you could just post on Craigs list for a set price hourly, or home consultation and especially working with elderly or families that have to clear out an estate, you being older would be a blessing. Then if you find out you don’t like it, you only finish up the one or two projects you started with! Get simple cards made (a million places to do that, no skill required) and you have not invested alot of time or money into promoting.

    • Michael, I’m guessing that your passions haven’t made money so far because you pursued them as leisure activities? Perhaps you’ve already thought of combining one or more of your passions with your marketing background. Just tossing out ideas…could you lead sailing, skiing, hiking groups, starting locally and then expand to eco-tourism locations? If you don’t sail, ski, or hike well enough to lead others, could you partner your marketing skills with those who offer specialized tours?

    • You might love an improv comedy class… I found it amazing for brain energy, connecting with new people and just boosting my creativity!!

  4. I can’t tell if my dream is really my dream, or whether I want to see people’s reactions to my saying it’s my dream.

    I am “afraid” I might find out that I just like/want to hear why I should NOT pursue an independent delivery/vending/service business… I’d like to work within a geographical radius (local), 3 days a week, filling food machines, or delivering supplies (I envision a two-wheeler like the UPS guys use), or making deposits for local businesses at local banks. This is way below my education level, but it includes 3 goals and hobbies: driving, possibly my dog in my car along the route with me, and part time.

    Dare I leave what has been a secure position for something like this? Could I NET $20k in a business like this? I don’t have/know anyone who has pursued such a goal.

    I’d love any thoughts you have!

    • Hello Ayleash, Your dreams sound great and I suggest that you not leave your present job until you can make enough money on a part-time basis with the new chosen field. It’s better to try out a new business part-time to see if you truly like it too.

    • How about going directly to the source? Hang out near the stores where you see the delivery people and ask them directly?

  5. My dream is to build up a strong Nuskinbusiness downline all over the world to make the life of woman better. I want to be more in contact with women from the whole world. Think bigger and getting bigger is my dream and help people, lots of love from Germany Elke

  6. OK, this is scary..I am fond of the KISS method. I am the kind of person who could be a Barbara type of person..I love to talk and motivate people , share ideas , could walk out on a stage of 200 people and start talking about a few things I know (like if main speaker was late or something) and love every minute of it. I am into a lot of things. Jack of all trades and master of none.
    So I turned 66. Retired from the airlines. Took one of those 12 hr. part time jobs. and then everyone started dying..Won’t go on about all that but it really started ticking me off…So dident get married, no kids ect…career woman….
    I have tried to get a group going..Pulling teeth is easier…I keep saying that I need to find a village to belong to and who needs a creative and at times a rather strong willed person o belong to…I don’t know were to or how to start my new life that I want . I will end this with saying that when I saw Barbara on PBS I just wanted to move in next door and work for her..Truly love her..Thanks for listening…Judy G

    • You should talk with Elke and see if you might want to join a network marketing business. You can pick one that you believe in and work part-time, full-time, since you seem to have time. You’re outgoing and that a big plus, you would meet lots of people and even travel. This profession is booming. Just think about all the people you could help develop their career.

    • It takes a lot of work to get people to leave their houses and meet somewhere, I know. When people join a Success Team and pay for it, they show up, but that’s not easy either.

      Why don’t you come into Hanging Out, Judy. Great group of people there, and I’m there too, at least this year, and hopefully next as well. Or join a Success Team on the phone with Patty Newbold. You’re too full of life to be stuck off by yourself.

  7. Hi there!
    I’m 26 years old, have a Bachelor’s degree in translation and interpretation (German-English-French), but dropped out of my Master’s program because I felt I wasn’t pursuing my dream and living my full potential. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been dreaming of becoming a Disney animator. Last spring I applied at an art school, but didn’t get accepted. Just recently I found out about an online animation school based in California that offers consecutive courses in character animation, and now I’m feeling as passionate as ever about becoming an animator. The only question is how I can finance my those courses. Any ideas?

  8. I need to come up with a tagline for my new business, “techcoach HQ” that will reflect both coaching for Online applications, mobile learning and training in these areas for both individual and corporate spaces.

      • Josette, go to http://gettingattention.org/ It is a wonderful site run by Nancy Schwartz for non profit marketing. she specializes in tag lines and has a great section of awards for creative efforts that should spark your imagination. She has a newsletter that I read sporadically as time permits, mostly as idea candy.

      • okay, here are a couple of my favorite taglines:
        Organization: Maryland SPCA
        Tagline: Feel the Warmth of a Cold Nose
        Ecological Farming Association (EFA): EcoFarm Conference 2013
        Tagline: Feed the World You Want to Live In”
        Organization: Librarians Without Borders
        Tagline: Putting information in the hands of the world

  9. I’m going to spam a little, because I want to make sure nobody here or on the “Hanging Out” board who’s interested in this or feels like they could profit from it misses this thing which is happening right now:

    http://socialmediaweek.org/newyork/

    It’s going on in NINE cities simultaneously. It was happening in even more cities than that in September (and I’m feeling more than a little stupid that I didn’t know about it then). It’s as much about global connection as Barbara’s Success Teams . 🙂

    They have panels like “How to Leverage Your Social Media Profile into a Job” (that’s not the exact title, but that was the gist of what I remember when I skimmed last night; I’ve been reading about this for hours).

    There are also some panels/events being livestreamed, so you don’t even have “having to spend money or leave your couch” as an excuse not to attend if this is something you’re interested in.

    And it’s going on all week! (And no, I don’t work for any of the sponsoring/umbrella organizations — just now that I’ve found out about it I wish I did *sigh*.)

    Hope everyone who is interested gets a chance to participate!

  10. Hi! I am feeling lost. I’m 55, have 3 children; the youngest is 16; and am just recently divorced for the second time. I used to be a high school art teacher ( loved the kids hated imposi g discipline) and decorator . I don’t know where to go from here. I had very loving but controlling parents.

    • Hi Karen
      I hear you. You’re sounding too alone. If you possibly can, come over and join Hanging Out with Barbara Sher. It’s as cheap as I can make it and it changes the isolation to a very warm, helpful and intelligent place. It’s really not like anything I’ve seen anywhere else, and these days I’m in there with everyone else, almost every day. Take a look at http://www.barbarasclub.com and I think you’ll find the signup place.

      There are plenty of good things you can do given what you’ve done and where you are, but it’s too hard when you’re too much on your own. You reached out, and I’m glad you did. Now come on in.
      Warm regards

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