I’m going to cut to the chase (because after you read this, you’ll need time to dig up all your dusty notebooks). Girl, it’s time for you to implement all that you’ve learned.

And let me tell you, I’m confident you have so much to share with the world (and tools to make your business grow) that you’re currently hoarding in that pretty head of yours.

Let’s start here: How many conferences, workshops, webinars, podcasts, books, ebooks or meet-ups have you been to or watched or read in the last year? How many Rifle Paper Co. (or Moleskine) notebooks do you have that you excitedly filled, once upon a time, when you were on your event high, ready to take on the world?!

The reality is for most of us creative entrepreneurs, we’re easily inspired and we soak up knowledge quickly and eagerly. We are ambitious and driven and want to make our dreams happen, like yesterday. So, we collect information. We learn. We get super pumped about what we just learned. We might implement a tiny, tiny percentage of it. But then, we crave MORE.

I think, sometimes, the hoarding of ideas and knowledge makes us feel safe. Like, we have so much around us that we can’t possibly go wrong with whatever it is we desire to achieve. In cases like these, learning becomes procrastination.

And a majority of that new knowledge, those business tips and ideas disappear into the dark corners of our minds, over time. Let’s tap into all that goodness locked up in your mind. Let’s use that wisdom to move forward. To make decisions. You are wiser than you think. You have big, bold moves just waiting to be made. Give them the time of day and credibility they deserve.

I’m not saying stop learning. I’m constantly reading new business books, going to conferences and networking with like-minded entrepreneurs BUT, over the years I’ve shifted my strategy with learning; I very intentionally make the time and effort to use my newfound wisdom after the fact.

Here are 5 ways to make sure you’re maximizing all of your learned wisdom: 

• Block off time in your schedule after every workshop, conference, etc. to go through your notes and pull action items from what you just learned. How will ________ better my business? What spin can I put on _________ to make it appeal to my ideal client?
• Get out of your head. Stop telling yourself you need more. Give yourself 2 hours to go skim all the scribbled notebooks you haven’t gone through yet. Utilize what you already have before signing up for something else! Ask yourself: What is my end goal/my purpose and how can I use this knowledge to help me move forward in that direction?
• Have an accountability partner, mentor or coach. Check in with them. Let them know what learning you’ve been up to and ask them to ask you what you’ve done with all of knowledge since attending, watching, reading.
• Be confident. Trust your intuition and your know-how to implement. Sometimes we are scared to move forward because we fear failure or think something might not go as well as we want it to. The truth is, you might fail. It might not go as well as you’d hoped, BUT, you aren’t going to achieve what you desire by collecting even more dusty bits of knowledge.
• Give yourself the freedom to say, “That is a fascinating way of looking at it, but that’s not for me.” Not everything you learn is meant for you or your business. Pick and choose the best parts. Decide what will best support your purpose and the direction you’re headed.

Alright, it’s time! Dig up those dusty notebooks. I guarantee you have some hidden brilliance inside of those bad boys. I’d love to hear what you find and what old ideas you can make shiny, new and incredibly beneficial for your business!

xo,
Becky