The birth of an idea
Inspiration shot August 2024
Inspiration and new ideas often arise from combining different elements that at first seem unrelated. A new environment, knowledge from different disciplines (interdisciplinary approach), and making connections between seemingly unrelated concepts form the basis for innovations. Curiosity is essential to be open to unexpected creative insights.
During a recent Dynamite Circle conference in London, I immediately felt the creative energy of the event working on me. Surrounded by 100 innovative minds from the network of successful, location-independent entrepreneurs, and thanks to the setting, creative exercises and unexpected questions, small puzzle pieces slowly started to fall into place. It was fascinating to see an idea come to life when you are open to new experiences and collaborate with others who challenge you to think outside your usual box.
In this Inspiration Shot I take you through my process and share the new idea that emerged from it, to show you how you can invite new ideas yourself.
‘What does your ideal day look like?’
The conference organizers handed out small cards with provocative questions as conversation starters. At one point I spoke to a participant I didn’t know yet about the question: ‘What does your ideal day look like?’
My answer came immediately: no appointments! The idea of a whole day in which everything is still possible appeals to me enormously. Appointments – whatever kind – seem to hinder the freedom and ‘adventure’ of just seeing what comes to mind and reacting to what is happening around you.
This made me suddenly realize that my ‘retirement’ – for which I had come up with the compromise to still do some 1-on-1 coaching to at least have some income – did not meet my desire. I had to come up with something that would really free me up.
Give it space
Many people have been asking me lately what I’m going to do next year after my ‘retirement’? To be put out to pasture? Not for me! I don’t mind working hard and I really enjoy helping people with their books, but I don’t want to commit myself to anything anymore. I need (even more!) space and freedom. That also means: not trying to figure out what I’m going to do next (even though I still have to find a financial solution). I let it go and give it space. And then… often an idea suddenly arises.
When I went to the conference in London, I thought: what should I talk about during the Mastermind sessions, where others help answer your question or solve your problem? I’m retiring, and I’m winding down my company, so I don’t need any business advice at this time. Then suddenly The Idea came up, which I was able to test and refine in every group meeting afterwards. At the end of the weekend, I had my first client (!), which confirmed the concept for me.
Voilà, my ‘retirement’ service idea: Rapid Ghostwriting
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Workshop alert
FIND YOUR VOICE
Visibility, personal branding and social media for writers, entrepreneurs, coaches, speakers and digital nomads
You have an important message, but you don’t like being in the spotlight.
Promotion and sales are not your thing.
I have found a way to share my life, tips and offers in a natural way, that provides inspiration and value to my followers.
Want to find your voice? My workshop ‘Modern promotion and ‘free publicity’’ gives you proven tactics to get the most out of your online presence, in a personal and natural way.
Please note: this is the last live online workshop ever!
Inspiration bites
CONGRATULATIONS
Nadina Galle
Nadine’s book ‘Nature of our cities‘ is a great success.
From October it will also be available in a Dutch version ‘Natuur van onze steden’.
VIDEO
British Airways safety video
Airplane safety videos are generally boring. But by combining them with historical scenes, this one became interesting and entertaining. The element of surprise is used brilliantly, combined with real British humour.
FUNNY FB POST
Guys: you need to read this! 😉
PERSONAL BRANDING
Let chatGPT help you
My friend Jody Cook wrote this article for Forbes. She asked AI experts, professional content creators and business leaders for their best prompts and came up with these 5 brilliant prompts to let ChatGPT help you with your online presence and personal brand.
Did you know...?
…that I like to surround myself with people who are extremely good at something? Especially when I am still a ‘beginner’ in a certain area. That is why I take private tango lessons and hire experts when I need them. For example, I hired a coach to prepare my business for my retirement. Now also for my theater show. While I am used to being on stage and entertaining an audience, up until now I mainly did that by talking. A theater show is something completely different and offers many more possibilities. For example, the Theater Amsterdam has a 180-degree multimedia screen that I would like to use. So I asked Daan van Bergen from Videologic to delve into the possibilities of video, and we already have a number of really cool ideas. A workshop participant recommended Jan Wienowiecki, a theater maker (including the Parade) and assistant producer and director of a German theater company. Together we came up with the coolest ideas for my show. I hired him as a director on the spot. My artist/actor brother Michael Jacobs is going to play a number of scenes with me. Mariska Vermeulen has been following me as a journalist for over 15 years and interviewed me for various magazines. After reading my book ‘Live your dream’ she even quit her job as an editor at a major magazine to become a freelancer. Nowadays she is a PR consultant and… you guessed it: she is going to help me with the PR for my show and ‘retirement’ in general. I am even considering taking singing and dancing lessons – even though I am absolutely useless at them – because that is part of theatre, isn’t it?
Where is Esther?
I am enjoying having Amsterdam as my home base for two months. I have filled my fridge and for the first time in a long time, all my clothes are in one closet. Every Monday evening I take the train to Zandvoort to dance tango on the beach. This is the best summer for me.
I still travel a lot, but then I can just close the door behind me and return to my apartment after my trip. I bring only carry-on luggage for that trip and don’t have to think about anything else, not emptying the apartment, not bringing stuff for a few months, and different destinations. Strangely enough, that gives me a bit of peace after all the traveling of the past months.
The week in London for the Dynamite Circle conference was an absolute highlight. It was perhaps the best conference ever. Organized with so much love and detail, as you can see in the video. And of course the inspiration and development of my new ‘Rapid Ghostwriting’ idea!
Next week I will be in Sweden for a tantra festival. For the first time, I’m going to individual workshops instead of a retreat, so I’m curious. (Did you read my interview about tantra in the Margriet Zomerboek yet?).
Enjoy your summer and see you next month…
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