3 Steps to Becoming An Idea Detective with Barbara Winter

Episode 290: 3 Steps to Becoming An Idea Detective with Barbara Winter

Barbara Winter is back as a pioneering self-employment advocate, writer, and teacher who has spent the last thirty years pondering the question, “Why aren’t we all self-employed?” Helping others discover a Joyfully Jobless life is her favorite occupation.

Barbara says, “nine out of ten of us in the 1900s grew up in entrepreneurial homes. Now, the numbers are reversed; nine out of ten people are employed.” One way to promote your entrepreneurial spirit is by becoming an idea detective.

Barbara and I hear clients on two separate sides of the idea spectrum. The first side is, “I have too many ideas and don’t know what to do with them all.” The second side is not having enough ideas or a strategy to gather ideas to explore opportunities. I asked Barbara to share three of her six steps to becoming an idea detective so whichever side of the idea spectrum you are on, you can advance your ideas with a strategic approach.

We discuss three of six steps to becoming an idea detective. The other three will arrive next Monday.

Find your curiosity. We discuss where our curiosity might have gotten snuffed out and how to bring ideas to life. We are born curious. Many quiet the curiosity voice growing up. Pondering life keeps our imagination fed. You can make friends with your curiosity again. Stay on alert and keep searching for new ideas. Be deliberate.

Invite ideas. “Think of your business as a laboratory and not an assembly line,” says Barbara. Pay attention to ways you can capture new ideas. Barbara wakes up with this brain-engaging activity every morning. She asks herself, what’s missing? And, what do I want to change today? You can keep your ideas moving with questions.

We discuss how to solve inertia. You will hear what effect 19 months of isolation have had on Barbara and her creativity. She has solid strategies that help her move forward and discover new things. She even offers Brainstorming sessions, which I took her up on, to keep moving my book ideas forward.

Audition Your Ideas. Auditioning my ideas has given me a structure to rolling out new ideas. A way to test them out on audiences to see if they are worthy for the next steps.

Barbara is one of the wisest and most fun idea detectives I have ever met. I always pick up new ideas and strategies in being joyfully jobless. Let me know how implementing these three steps go. DOWNLOAD

Please do the Conscious Attentive Leadership Mentoring (C.A.L.M.) Activities, below.

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Episode Resources

Barbara's 3 Other Podcast Conversations

Employee Mindset vs. Entrepreneurial Mindset | WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCAST

It Is Time To Explore Multiple Profit Centers | WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCAST

Portfolios of Inspiration | WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCAST

Barbara Sher

Barbara Sher

Hugh MacLeod

Hugh MacLeod, Ignore Everybody

Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

Conscious Attentive Leadership Mentoring

After listening, do the following three C.A.L.M. Activities:

Take this risk or do this adventurous task: Implement the three steps in becoming an idea detective this week. Find your curiosity if you buried it. Invite ideas by asking yourself two questions Barbara asks herself each morning, what’s missing? And, What do I want to change today? Audition your ideas by finding an audience to test out ideas. See what happens. I’ll have three more steps for you next Monday.

Apply Self-Compassion: Acknowledge the enthusiasm building within as you implement your first three steps as an idea detective.

Welcome Appreciation: “I appreciate the joy and enthusiasm Barbara infuses into our conversations. Her delight in life and passion for helping others live a joyfully jobless life inspires me to action. I am becoming a better idea detective, especially with auditioning ideas. I am having more fun rolling out new ideas because I have a process making it easier to let go of idea attachment. Thank you, Barbara, for rocking our world of ideas.”

Your Turn. Start with, “I appreciate what I heard from today’s Guest Mentor, Barbara Winter. I appreciate this week’s adventurous task because….”

“Most of the problems in our lives and world are caused by relational dysfunction, a dysfunction in how we relate: as social groups, as individuals, to animals and the environment, and even to ourselves. Therefore, developing relational literacy—the understanding of and ability to practice healthy ways of relating—is essential for personal, social, and ecological transformation.” —Melanie Joy, psychologist, author, theorist, educator

When WeMentor… your life becomes more meaningful!!! Dual Innovation with Mentoring WORKS. Redefine how you lead and mentor while redesigning your business.

Podcast Guest Mentor

Barbara J. Winter. Barbara is a pioneering self-employment advocate, writer, and teacher who has spent the last thirty years pondering the question, “Why aren’t we all self-employed?” Helping others discover a Joyfully Jobless life is her favorite occupation. To readers of Winning Ways newsletter, the longest-running self-employment publication of its kind, she is editor/publisher.

Readers of Making a Living Without a Job, a book that’s been in print since 1993, know her as the author.

Participants in Barbara’s seminar of the same name, along with others including Establish Yourself as an Expert and How to Support Your Wanderlust, know her as a passionate teacher.

She also leads retreats to help small business owners bring creative thinking and fresh ideas into their work. She is convinced that small is still beautiful and loves working with one-person enterprises. Barbara is also an intrepid world traveler and a curious lifelong learner.

She also leads retreats to help small business owners bring creative thinking and fresh ideas into their work. She is convinced that small is still beautiful and loves working with one-person enterprises. You can work with her one-on-one for Brainstorming Sessions online at JoyfullyJobless.com.