Back when I was just writing a weekly column for the newspaper, people would ask me all the time "Jeff, how do you come up with an idea a week?" What I would say if I had time was "That's the wrong question.
" "What do you mean?"I said, "Well, it's how do you narrow down all the ideas into one.
" Because once you get started doing this, and those of you that aren't doing this a lot, trust me on this, once you get started doing this you begin to see the world and your environment and your experiences and your clients and yourself through the eyes of articles.
Seeing through the eyes of articles I call it seeing through the eyes of articles.
You begin to see them everywhere.
It could be daily experiences.
I could write an article on frustration in traffic.
I talked to a gentleman at the Big Seminar in Atlanta.
It took him as long to fly down here from Cincinnati to Atlanta as it did for me to drive from north of Atlanta down to where the conference was because of all the traffic.
That's an article.
Something your clients say.
Something somebody says.
Something you see on TV is an article.
A couple years ago I was watching an old Friends repeat.
And Monica and Chandler were in their kitchen.
And for those of you who don't watch the show or don't remember, Monica's a neat freak.
And is obsessive especially about the kitchen.
So Chandler is in the mood, and he sweeps everything off the kitchen table, and gives Monica a look like come on let's go.
And she looks at him and goes, "Chandler, making a mess to get me in the mood.
Come on man know your audience.
" And I thought what a great spring board for an article about relationships and knowing your partner.
Article ideas are everywhere So article ideas are everywhere.
What it is is seeing through the eyes of articles.