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.)
I’d like to post a follow up/ update if that’s ok. Months ago I shared my wish to see a facilitated non partisan peace conference on gun violence in the U.S. inviting lawmakers, experts, and civilian groups from around the country to demonstrate respect, share information, look for commonality and build trust.
I’ve gathered enough feedback from potential participants to know that it is possible. Because of my own limitations, I’ve been looking for someone who would be willing to take this project on now that I’ve laid the groundwork for it. (Which is really all I wanted to do in the first place). I just found an organization specializing in networking for big ideas that loves my idea! THEY LOVE IT GUYS! And they’re going to help me look for someone who is interested in taking on a project like this.
I’m doing a happy dance this morning. I’ve never taken an idea this big so far. My confidence for what I can accomplish in this life just went up big time. Thank you Barbara Sher and this group for encouraging me to go after my big ideas.
That’s great, Annette!
in my life My the biggest ambition is to study at harvard college and getting bachelor diploma . But my knowledge is so little to enter there . what do i have to do ? How can i enter at harvard ? Please give me an advise ! thanks Msz Barbara Sh. for answer from before !
It is only a beginning but you can start advancing your knowledge through online learning. If you get a good base, in whatever the field you are interested you may start creating a CV appropriate for a Harvard Bs candidate. Once you have that there are multiple opportunities for scholarships and fellowships.
These is a web site that has plenty of free online classes from recognized universities and research institutions:
https://www.futurelearn.com/
Go to the web site, create a profile, chose classes that can help you (there are lots on education, improving study habits and opportunities. It’s an excellent first step, I think, and who knows some of your fellow students may offer you extra help in accomplishing your dream.
Hello everyone! My wish/dream is to be on an episode of Expedition Unknown hosted by Josh Gates aired on the Travel Channel. One of the things I remember telling my parents as a kid was that I wanted to become an archeologist. I never did become an archeologist but I am a huge fan of the show and would love the opportunity to be in an episode with him on one of his adventure trips. I consider myself very much a risk-taker as he is and love going on adventures.
My obstacle is that I don’t know anyone at the show or that works on the Travel Channel. I wrote to Josh Gates personally but I never got a reply back from him.
Perhaps you can find a website of the show, or at least some information online about the making of it. If nothing else, check the credits. See if you can’t contact the directors and producers, to get some more information about how show participants are selected and how you could be one of them.
Famous people are difficult to get a hold of, their time and attention is often “guarded” for them by other people. (Wait, I think I got that from Barbara Sher’s book :P). It’s quite possible he never even got your message. It might be worthwhile to find his publicist and contact them.
In the meantime, you could work on building a show-worthy “resume”. Maybe go on a Smithsonian trip where volunteers help at a dig.
And read Josh Gates biography. What did he do before the show that you can emulate? Does he have a pet charity that you can become involved with?
Luck comes to those who are well prepared. You may only get one shot to sell yourself. Do all that you can to prep now, including writing your elevator speech.
If you can’t get in through the front door, start looking for back doors.
Thanks Jennifer & Annette!
My wish was to become an established ESL Tutor (English as a Second Language), and it has happened. I did the work, but YOU Barbra, supplied the inspiration and can do spirit, so that I could become the adventurer that I needed to be…thank you for all that you have done, helping people to find their way…you are a blessing!
Bravo, Metha! Congratulations on your accomplishment.
Hi Metha,
Tell us your story. How did you do it?
My wish is to work as a wine sales representative managing a territory. Also, work from home as a proofreader.
I have sales experience but not in the wine industry and zero experience as a proofreader.
Hi Kim: I don’t think it’s very hard to become a wine sales representative without experience. I tell you that from experience I myself was a wine sales representative for a very short while. I had no experience in the industry and was hired as an independent contractor because of my sales background. I would suggest you go on Craigslist which is how I found out about the job.
My wish is to start a freelance copywriting career and finish revising my novel. I work 32 hours a week as a book buyer, so my obstacle is finding the time! My head tells me to focus on the freelance work because I need the money. But my heart tells me to rewrite the novel.
Re freelance writer, my advice is to find ‘The Well-Fed Writer’ It’s a really good book and tells you how to create a steady clientele for copywriting.
Re 32 hours a week as a book buyer, what part of that task can be used to help you think about your novel (if any)?
Re your novel: I advise you to dedicate 20 minutes first thing in the morning (before brushing your teeth) to turning out pages. And, if possible, to add another 20 minutes to that at your lunch break (if it exists). And, if your brain is still working, 20 minutes at night sorting out where the new writing go in your novel, or just printing it out and putting it in a pile of printouts beside your home computer so you can watch it grow.
Take a full afternoon each weekend to work on your novel.
Every six weeks take an entire weekend (including Friday afternoon and evening) to dedicate solely to your novel.
That actually will work, if you can do it. 🙂
Interesting that you recommended The Well Fed Writer. I took a crash course from the author, Peter Bowerman, before launching my copywriting biz. I’ve got one steady client now, and find it incredibly stressful to keep up with the work on top of my day job. And resistant, because I’m not finding time to rewrite my novel.
But I do seem to find some time to blog, which is not getting my novel rewritten at all.
Staying up late getting all my various tasks done means I oversleep in the morning, and there goes that 20 minutes scheduled for my novel writing. I get 30 minutes for lunch, so I’m basically eating; although I could conceivably edit my work at the same time. After work I take a walk, cook and eat dinner, and then spend an hour on the copywriting gig. I try to get off the computer by 9:00 so I can shower and wind down for bed. But I often end up working later.
I’m worried about money, stressed about time, and depressed that I’m not rewriting my novel!
Twenty minutes. If I can just get that regular twenty minutes of time in the morning, I’ll feel much better. And yes, an afternoon on the weekend.
Thanks for the tips!
My wish is to live as a coach and dog groomer in Spain.
My obstacles are 1. money 2. training (as a coach) 3. No contacts in Spain.
I’m a qualified dog groomer so I can earn some cash that way.
I’m European, so no need for the administrative paper work and visa applications.
A place to stay and a hitch up is what I need.
Thank you all !
xxxxx
I hear from people who do house/pet sitting almost full time. People who are going on vacation and don’t take their pets with them offer a place to stay as well as animals to care for. I wonder if anyone knows how to find those gigs? That could solve everything, no?
Do you speak spanish?
If not, then I think that is where to start.
good luck!
Hi Barbara and other Idea Partiers,
My wish is to move to the coast and take a job as a writer for a/the local newspaper. I have appropriate experience, I used to live there. I moved away for a particular reason and now find I yearn for the coastal lifestyle again. Obstacle is simply knowing how it will come together…
Where are you based now? Do you have contacts still, as you used to live there. What coastal area are you wanting to move too?
I am a single parent, raising 13 year old twin boys on my own with no support from my ex. I currently work a 9-5 job with a 35 minute commute each way; with Michigan winters, the commute is longer. I work in a small office with a TON of drama! I am also in a field that I find very stifling..accounts receivable. I could kid myself and pretend I want to do this forever. What I secretly want to do is make a living as a freelance writer!
Hi,
Are there any local mags/newspapers you could approach? To offer a free column or report or something of interest to you or the community. Start with local stuff. Perhaps you could offer to write once or twice/month. Use it for practice or a springboard to something bigger.
Are you a member of a writers group? Start your own from home. Meet up has many hobbies on their site.
Thank you for your reply Andrea! I will follow your suggestions 🙂
Because I love to get information from books, I will throw this out to you – have you done any research on how to become a freelance writer? I LOVE the reference/writing book section of bookstores and there are a lot of books that are about becoming a freelance writer. You might want to look at some of those for some ideas on how to get started. AND I learned this from reading one of them – buying those books is tax deductible for writers (in case you want to buy them rather than just checking them out from a library), but you could also start with checking them out from a library.
Regarding the drama – I learned from my life coach about not adding any energy to the drama lovers because I realized that I was letting myself get caught up in their drama. Now I just go about my own business of doing my job. May not help you, but it has certainly helped me with one co-worker who always has a problem de jour!
I’d love to live in the Scottish highlands in a house that sits by itself managing a nature reserve of sorts.
Presently I live in the city working in supported accommodation for young people.
Becoming a caretaker is a great way to move to a place without first raising enough money and credit rating to buy a house. Where can you meet people from the Scottish highlands locally who have a home there to take care of or who can give you a good recommendation if you find a home through one of the caretaker newsletters? Is there a meetup.com group that would attract them? Or perhaps a local museum of special interest to Scots? Or a culture or language class for their children? What skills would you need to be a good caretaker? Where could you volunteer locally that would train you in them? Who offers classes in them? Do you know anyone locally who would let you house-sit while they travel and give you a recommendation?
(This got posted somewhere else by mistake, so I’ll put it here as well so you know what I’m replying to). Hi Allison. In Scotland there are a lot of adventure sports centres that are often in or near national parks. They usually have various kinds of residential facilities too. Sometimes former stately homes, sometimes cottages or purpose built lodges. I’ve just checked a few that I found by googling. I guess they would need caretakers in the winter when they are not operating. In the spring to autumn active season they would need various kinds of staff including adventure sports instructors and people to manage the accommodation and catering and do administrative work. Some or maybe most of them offer volunteer positions to train as sports instructors, with accommodation and a living allowance provided. But I don’t know if that would suit you.
Here’s a list of nature reserves in Scotland. You can get information about them, and which organisations manage them, by clicking the links.
http://www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/find-a-reserve/azlist/