idea generation

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If money were no option, what would you do with your 40+ hours/(work) week? Of if you have recently found yourself jobless, what are you looking to do next? Not sure? If the place you are currently in at this moment is not cutting it, then make a change. Don’t merely talk and think about making a change – act – do something to make the change. If you know you want/need a change, but just aren’t exactly sure where it is you would rather be, here is a list of 15 ideas and questions to ask yourself to ignite the spark, gather information and enable yourself to learn more about you!

Make a list: “Topics” that Interest Me.
What do you do in your spare time? What are your hobbies, passions, etc.?
Research different industries.
Do you like to be active or sedetary?
If you had to read 30 articles on any one or two subjects what would it/they be?
What were your most favorite classes in High School or College?
Join a LinkedIn Group in an industry that sparks your curiosity.
Travel. Go somewhere to let your mind “explore.” It can even just be within an hour of your home or somewhere remote.
Exercise. Go for a run outside – your creative juices will “run” wild.
Mentor. Find someone with whom you trust to help direct you to your dream place.
Write. Keep a daily journal of thoughts, ideas, happiness and frustrations. A career pattern may evolve.
Volunteer. Through volunteer work you may identify a passion you never knew existed.
Focus on the “small picture.” If you like Marketing, research the industry to find all the different career paths, job functions and areas of emphasis. Sometimes breaking down an industry into a particular sector will help.
And then focus on the “big picture.” There are millions of things you can do with your life. Many of them you may not even know about yet. Keep your eyes wide open.
Network “outside-the-box.” Listen to conversation happening in the social space. You might stumble across a topic/job opportunity that interests you.

Opportunity is always right around the corner for those who work hard, have passion, dedication and believe that learning never stops!

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The “Blogging When” is nearly a mute point without the “Blogging What.”

I took many creative writing classes in college. At least one class per semester would be devoted strictly to the “writer’s block” phenomenon that is all too common. We have all been there before, are here too often now and will likely be there at some point in the future. It’s a frustrating place to find yourself when all you want to do is get your post in and create value for someone else. What it comes down to is, if you were reading your Blog, what would you want to read? What would you find useful? How could someone spin current content to make it relevant? Or what content could you create to make relevant?

Before you scream and shout (or worse yet) throw away your “Blogging Days,” here are 51 Things to Blog About. Just try it, you might be pleasantly surprised! (Keep in mind that even though I have broken these up into the “Professional” and “Personal” Blogs, many of them could toggle and be used for both. Really – the sky is the limit!)

The “Professional Blog”

The “Personal Blog”

Ignite the Spark

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