3-Minute Idea Impact Filter

Time needed: 3 minutes (60 seconds each)

Setting: When flooded with ideas or needing clarity

Purpose: Moving from idea generation to meaningful action

Idea Capture (60 seconds)

   What: Get ideas out of your head. Rapid-fire list all ideas swirling with no editing. Include half-formed thoughts, possibilities, what ifs. Do not evaluate, just capture. Aim for 5 to 10 ideas minimum. Let brain empty onto page.

   Notice: Relief in externalising, how many ideas you are actually holding, patterns in your thinking

   Why: Clears mental clutter, makes invisible visible, creates space for evaluation

Idea Overload Reality: Too many ideas create paralysis. Capturing them allows discernment rather than overwhelm.

Impact Assessment (60 seconds)

   What: Evaluate using two key questions. For each idea, quickly rate 1 to 10. Alignment: How connected is this to what matters most to me or my work right now? Feasibility: How realistic is this with my current resources, energy and time? Circle top 2 to 3 ideas with highest combined scores.

   Notice: Which ideas you want to score high versus which actually are, clarity emerging through criteria, relief in prioritising

   Why: Separates exciting from impactful, grounds ideas in reality, enables strategic choice

Impact Principle: Not all good ideas deserve action right now. Impact comes from focused execution, not scattered attempts.

Action Decision (60 seconds)

   What: Choose your one next move.

Option A, Act: Choose one top idea. Write single next action under 15 minutes. Schedule when you will do it. Commit: I will action on time.

Option B, Park: Move other ideas to holding space. Transfer to future ideas page or file. Set review date weekly or monthly. Release mental hold: Not now, but captured.

Option C, Release: Delete ideas that do not serve. Cross out low-alignment, low-feasibility ideas. Say: Good idea, wrong time, person or context. Let go without guilt.

Notice: Resistance to choosing just one, relief in parking others, freedom in releasing poor fits

Why: Converts thinking to doing, maintains idea bank without burden, focuses energy on impact

Closing: State your one action commitment aloud

Notice: Clarity versus idea fog

Why: Marks transition from processing to action

Why This Matters:

Ideas without action create mental weight. Too many ideas dilute impact. Capturing enables discernment. Criteria reveal true priorities. One focused action beats scattered attempts. Processing prevents idea hoarding.

Impact Over Activity:

Many ideas does not equal more impact. One executed idea is better than ten half-started. Alignment plus feasibility equals real impact. Not all ideas need action. Focus multiplies effectiveness.

When Ideas Keep Coming:

Set idea capture time daily. Use this filter regularly. Trust your parking system. Let go of FOMO. Focus on execution over generation. Review parked ideas monthly.

Daily Idea Practice:

Morning: Capture overnight ideas. Filter: Use impact assessment. Act: One idea, one action. Park or Release: Rest with confidence.

Tips:

Keep filtering quick. Trust first instinct on ratings. Revisit parked ideas regularly. Lower feasibility bar initially. Celebrate idea to action conversion. Notice patterns in what scores high. Share ideas to release mental hold.

Common Traps:

All ideas are equally important, use criteria ruthlessly. I will lose good ideas, trust parking system. I should act on everything, impact requires focus. More ideas equals more success, execution beats generation. Releasing means failing, strategic choice not failure.

Impact Questions:

Will this move my most important work forward? Can I actually do this with current reality? What would I stop doing to make space? Does this align with my values or goals? Is this mine to do?