Have you had a million ideas/thoughts running through your head that you write down to remember but, you can’t find/recall the ideas when you need them??

Or maybe you’ve been leading a meeting where ideas are flying like crazy. So, you write them all down, only to not be able to find them later. I’ve been there, that’s why I’m here (hey, that sounds like a country song)…

I’ve suffered this misery too often I’m afraid and I began to think, there’s no cure! Forever, I will be cursed as the guy who leaves ideas floating in a room until their ‘pixie dust’ gives out & they fall to the floor only to be trampled and forgotten.

My name is Pudge and I have ‘Trampled and Forgotten Ideas’ Syndrome.’

Is there a cure? I have no idea, but I did find some great stuff in a print piece that came with my ‘Dot-Grid Notebook‘ a few weeks back that has helped.

The print piece described a process Behance (created ‘Dot-Grid Notebook’) has called “The Action Method.” The basic concept is that ideas need to have action attached to them (unfortunately something few of us do). This diagram describes it best…

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From there, “The Action Method” has three basic principles. They are as follows….

1. Capture Action Steps, Relentlessly (action steps each should being with a verb)
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2. Tend to the Backburner (the place ‘ideas to be used’ go)

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3. File Reference Items, Sparingly (keep only what you need)

Behance does a better job describing their ‘Action Method’ here. Also, if you are an ‘electronic storage’ kind of person (store things in files on your computer) there is a great tip for how to do this creatively…here!

Me, I’m still trying to put it all into effect. Their method is AWESOME, but as always get organized takes time & work! :) Hope all this helps some of you out there like it has me. Maybe some of you are already using “The Action Method” or something like it!? Share with us! :)

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