On this episode of Design Life we are talking side projects. You might have a few ideas bouncing around in your mind of late, that keep coming back to you. Maybe you want to see if your idea would spark interest in the audience you have in mind, but you don’t know where to start. Using our own side projects as examples, we talk about how you can bring your idea to life and avoid potential pitfalls along the way.
You might have a lot of ideas for potential side projects and be unsure as to which one is worth the investment of your time. Do you find yourself thinking about your idea very often over the course of a few weeks? That might be an indicator that your enthusiasm and interest in this idea is not going to go away.
Think about what you want to create. Make a list of the kind of content or elements that you would create as part of the project, do you have enough ideas to sustain it? Try thinking about all the different formats that you could share your information or idea in, is it a podcast, blog or YouTube channel. Think about how frequent you will release new content, you could share seasons, record and release everything at once, or make it weekly like Design Life. If you are feeling overwhelmed, consider the different options and choose the format that works best for you.
If you want to test interest in your idea consider sharing your idea on social media. One thing that has held us back in the past is a lack of confidence in the idea in general or a worry that our idea will be taken by someone else. Seeing a positive reaction to your idea may boost your confidence as you see other people taking interest. The likelihood that someone else will take your idea and put in the effort required to bring it to life is very slim. By putting your project idea out there in this way, it gives you a chance to work out potential kinks before it goes live.
Have in mind what you want to get out of the side project as you’re starting it, especially if you’re adding it to an already full plate of more side projects. Knowing what your goal is will really help you to keep focus and discipline when you inevitably come up against hurdles along the way.
01.30 – Catch up
05.00 – Charli’s new side project
10.20 – Figuring things out in public or in private
14.20 – Side project idea generation
17.05 – The process of starting a side project
21.30 – Taking action on your side project
