If you're trying to do too much, just do less.

Often a post of article on LinkedIn, or similar sites, will explain - quite rightly - that sometimes it's good to focus on few things rather than all of the ideas you have. You've only so much energy and time. If you've many ideas, you don't have time to implement all of them, or even most of them.

But after the thought leader has descended from their intellectual heaven to bestow this advice upon you, the annoying detail of the implementation is left to you.

Rendering this advice kind of useless.

Firstly - to pick one idea you're going to have to delay or abandon several others. And the cumulative value of all those other options is higher than any single idea, so the difficulty of this choice is often under-estimated.

Secondly - no criteria is given. You've been unable to pick an option, or stick to an option, so far - yet somehow the mere presence of the thought leader is meant to magic this criteria into existence.

So instead, let me at least give you a start on the kind of criteria you should use:

• Interest - pick which option excites you the most. Interest can sustain a project through obstacles and adversity, in the absence of criteria from anywhere else, look to yourself.
• Highest financial reward - it can be hard to judge, but if you're seeking money ( maybe to implement all those other ideas some day ) write up some calculations on which idea is likely to earn the most.
• Most likely to have a financial reward - maybe it's the least interesting idea, but which has a definite market, and an existing customer base? And something that gives you runway for those more exotic choices you've put to one side?
• Least effort - all of these ideas are likely to be experiments of some kind. You're not picking between one profession or another, these are projects you've been dwelling on for a while. So pick the experiment you can run soonest, with the least resource.
• Random - just pick one. If you're unable to judge which idea is the best to pursue give each a number, resolve to follow whichever option is chosen, and just roll a die.
• Random... with a get out clause - commit to the outcome of a coin flip or dice roll. As much as you can to yourself. Then flip the coin and pay close attention to how you feel as soon as the result is revealed... horror at the outcome, or panic, or relief. Firmly and finally choosing one option can be a good way to show yourself what you really think of an option.

One I haven't included yet is "leverage", which tends to be a slippery concept, I hope to get back to that one.

( I might edit this post, I might release a separate v2 to avoid any readers being deluged with notifications )

Why do I mention this? Myself and Indy Neogy have been kicking around an "Idea Bankruptcy" decision methodology or tree for a while, also this situation fits into Decision Architecture concepts The Uncertainty Project has helped me explore recently, and it's a big part of Chelsea Peil 's developing idea of doing something with all those domain names you've bought.

So... in an attempt to move one step beyond the gossamer aphorisms of this season's sagacitic sage... there will be more on this...