If the idea of starting an enriching career as an entrepreneur has got you well and truly hooked, you would certainly not be alone.
In fact, according to the Washington Post, millions have recently quit their jobs altogether to finally take the plunge and become their own boss in light of a turbulent few years.
It takes a great deal of tenacity, time, and research to pull off, but success is very much reachable, provided you know which direction you wish to head in.
Finding inspiration is not always easy, particularly if you have recently become disillusioned with your current career or feel as though you do not possess the right skillset to kickstart your life as an entrepreneur.
For those of you who wish to take your talents in an exciting new direction but seem to be at a loss for ideas.
Seeking Innovation
Innovation is one of the driving forces behind meaningful change and progression. Luckily, it can be nurtured by developing and adhering to a fantastic strategy.
Finding a gap in the market can be a challenge even for the biggest and incredibly well-established companies, but it is by no means impossible, especially when you put the research in.
It can be difficult for innovation to take place without first knowing who your target audience is, what they need, or which products and services you can convince them that they need.
Write Down a List of Your Professional Skills and Experience
Sticking to what you know is a time-honored piece of advice that gets somewhat liberally handed out, but it is for a good reason.
Hands-on experience is immensely valuable, as it teaches you how to operate in certain industries, who to know, where to look, and in which direction to turn. For example, if what you know happens to be marketing, it may be worth thinking about which areas and fields you can best apply your unique skillset and begin crafting your business idea around that.
Seeing a list of your professional skills and experience written down in front of you can be a wonderful way to gain inspiration; even if you feel as though you already know what your strengths are, being able to visualize them can give you a whole different perspective.
Moreover, this can be a good way to start laying the foundations of your business proposal or outlining the basis of your pitch to potential investors and partners.
Reading the Positive Stories
If you needed that little extra convincing, then stumbling across yet another statistic or headline about a failed startup is probably not the most inspiring piece of information you could hope for.
There are, however, plenty of real-life stories about people who were once in a similar position to yours and made their dreams become a reality.
Opting to seek these stories out can be a wonderful way of finding inspiration at a time when you might feel as though you are wandering in a pointless direction.
There is some fantastic literature on offer that can help get you inspired, and they are not worth neglecting by any stretch of the imagination.
Write Down Every Idea
Even if your idea seems utterly outrageous, it is worth writing down, perhaps even more so due to its ludicrous nature. If nobody ever sees your idea, and you rip it up or burn it as soon as you write it down, you will likely still have grown as an individual.
This can help you defeat the dreaded brain blockage when it comes to coming up with new ideas on the fly, and you can always heavily edit them afterward. Learning to embrace ideas and run with them is a superb trait to possess, so striving to nurture it may help you find the inspiration you need.
Go Somewhere You Have Never Been Before
If you feel safe enough to do so and you can, then going somewhere you have never been before can be a good way of gaining a new perspective on a familiar problem, even if where you go is somewhere in your hometown.
A change of scenery every now and then is important, and it can help to jog the mind and open new outlets in which to channel your thoughts. It may seem simple enough, but making yourself aware of your surroundings and taking in the sights can be an enlightening experience.
Brainstorming with Best Friends
Trying to come up with a great idea does not necessarily have to be a strenuous task, as it can be made exceptionally fun with the help of some good friends.
You might even want to make an evening out of it and go away somewhere, making it into a game rather than a chore, where the most outlandish business proposal wins.
This can be a great way to start training yourself to think quickly and articulate your ideas clearly, while also learning how to edit them afterward sufficiently.
Turning to friends and family for help should never be underestimated, as sometimes, the ones you trust and care for most can offer the soundest advice, even if it was under your nose the entire time.
A Few Questions to Ask Yourself
Conducting a short questionnaire for yourself is a good way to start formulating a framework of a plan, so here are some questions you might want to think about trying out.
- How do I measure success? – This can help you to decide what exactly it is you want to get out of your business, such as the chance to help others, money, or kudos.
- What do I Need to Learn? – Knowing what you do not know is half of the battle and striving always to learn is a great way of avoiding stagnation.
- What Kind of Boss Would I be? – If you have worked for a multitude of companies, you will likely have come across a favorite and a not-so-favorite boss; what made them different?
What Does Your Dream Future Look Like? – This one can be great for getting yourself inspired, as daring to dream can take bravery in the first place.