From Idea Overwhelm to Action: How to Choose Which Project to Pursue

Do you find yourself brimming with ideas for a side project, a new business venture, or an innovative initiative at work? You're not alone. Many of us dream of creating something meaningful outside our day jobs or bringing fresh ideas to our companies. But here's the catch:

Having too many ideas can be just as paralyzing as having none at all.

If you're constantly jumping from one exciting concept to another without making real progress, you're at risk of remaining stuck in the dreaming phase forever. Meanwhile, those who succeed are not necessarily the ones with the best ideas—they're the ones who choose an idea and take action.

The difference? They choose, decide, and work on their ideas. As simple as that.

The Hidden Cost of Decision Paralysis

Think about it: How many potentially great projects have you left on the back burner because you couldn't decide where to focus your energy? How many times have you seen someone else succeed with an idea similar to one you had years ago and thought to yourself: "I had the same idea!"

According to research by organizational psychologist Heidi Grant, having too many options significantly decreases our likelihood of making any choice at all. This "paradox of choice" doesn't just rob us of momentum—it actually increases our dissatisfaction with whatever we eventually choose.

It's time to break this cycle. The good news is, you don't need to rely on gut feeling or chance to pick your next big project. There are proven frameworks that can help you objectively assess your ideas and choose the one with the highest potential for success.

Decision Frameworks: Your Path from Ideas to Action

Ready to pick your top idea and turn it into reality? Let's explore three powerful frameworks to help you choose the right idea to pursue:

1. The ICE Framework

ICE stands for Impact, Confidence, and Ease. This simple yet powerful framework, popularized by growth expert Sean Ellis, helps evaluate and prioritize ideas quickly.

How it works:

• Impact (1-5): How significant would the positive results be if this idea succeeds?
• Confidence (1-5): How certain are you that this idea will deliver the expected results?
• Ease (1-5): How simple would it be to implement this idea with your current resources?

Multiply the three scores to get the ICE score (maximum of 125). Prioritize ideas with the highest ICE scores.

Real-world example: When Dropbox was considering growth initiatives, they used the ICE framework to prioritize their referral program (which ultimately led to their viral growth) over other potential features.

2. The DVF Framework

DVF stands for Desirability, Viability, and Feasibility. This framework, originating from IDEO's design thinking methodology, ensures a balanced approach considering customer needs, business goals, and practical implementation.

How it works:

Assess each idea on:

• Desirability (1-5): Do customers want it? Does it solve a real pain point?
• Viability (1-5): Does it make business sense? Can it be profitable or create value?
• Feasibility (1-5): Can we realistically implement it with our skills, time, and resources?

Multiply the three scores to get the DVF score. Prioritize ideas with the highest scores.

Pro tip: Ideas scoring high on desirability but low on feasibility might be worth revisiting later when you have more resources or skills.

3. The Now-Next-Later Method

This approach acknowledges all your ideas as valuable while creating clarity on what deserves your immediate focus.

How it works:

• Now: The single idea you'll commit to immediately (from your highest-scoring ideas)
• Next: 2-3 ideas that show promise but might need more research or resources
• Later: Interesting concepts to revisit in the future

This method pairs perfectly with either the ICE or DVF framework—use them to score your ideas, then organize them into these three categories.

Moving Beyond Analysis: The 90-Day Commitment

Here's what sets successful innovators apart: they don't just choose an idea—they commit to it for a meaningful period before reevaluating.

I recommend a 90-day commitment to your chosen "Now" idea. This timeframe is:

• Long enough to make meaningful progress and see initial results
• Short enough that it doesn't feel like a lifetime commitment
• Psychologically powerful as a focused sprint

During these 90 days, capture new ideas that come to mind in your "Later" list, but don't let them distract you from your current focus.

Taking Action: Your Next Steps

1. List all your current ideas in one place
2. Choose either the ICE or DVF framework (or both if you want to be thorough)
3. Score each idea according to your chosen framework(s)
4. Organize your scored ideas into Now-Next-Later categories
5. Commit to your "Now" idea for the next 90 days
6. Schedule a calendar reminder for your 90-day review

By using these frameworks, you can objectively evaluate your ideas and make informed decisions on which ones to pursue. Remember, the goal is not to find the perfect idea, but to choose a promising one and start making progress.

Don't let analysis paralysis hold you back any longer. Your side project, business, or innovation journey begins with this crucial first step.