- merry makery
- Posts
- stop skipping this critical step
greetings gurus!
we've all been there after brainstorming – you're fired up for your next big idea ready to face it head on. but as soon as it's time to start the groundwork, that fire starts to fizzle out under the weight of "where do i even begin?" 🤯
i know from experience that most people are in such a rush to get things done so they jump straight in to the task,
skipping over the most important step:
research.
today i’m explaining the magic of research & sharing my top 10 tactics.
today’s merry menu:
🔎 it’s so revealing
🎓 re: rethinking
💡 beyond the search bar
🖇 research on the reg
it’s so revealing
whether you're launching a start-up, writing a research paper, or planning a vacay, research is the foundation of the entire process. it’s how you understand the situation you’re working with.
you want to build your project on as much rock as possible, not sand.
while our brains are supercomputers capable of generating blockbuster-level ideas, even the fanciest tech needs the right input to produce gold.
so if you only do a surface level skim off the top of google, rely on the same ol’ sources as everyone else, or skip this phase all together, you’re setting yourself up for lackluster results.
re: rethinking
let’s reframe research.
think less dreaded dull homework, more epic strategic treasure hunt.
research checks that your brilliant ideas aren’t just shots in the dark. it steers you clear of potential pitfalls, sharpens your focus, & sometimes, it reveals that your work’s already complete (which is a huge shortcut.)
research is a prime place to practice “measure twice, cut once.”
you choose: research or regret.
beyond the search bar
researching, as the word suggests, includes searching, but i encourage you to go beyond your comfort zones of google & wikipedia.
to think outside the box, you must go outside those search bars.
recently, i’ve revved up my research game with these 10 unique tactics, listed from least to most tech savvy with a special bonus #11:
revisit ideas: from my notes app, inbox, or my own book collection.
question ideas: from everyone i talk to or with answer the public.
x ideas: study ideas with x advanced search or tweet hunter.
crowdsource ideas: with online communities on reddit or discord.
chat ideas with ai: such as chatgpt, google gemini, or claude.
synthesize ideas with ai: on perplexity or springboards.
(bonus) stop ideas: take a break with a shower, walk, or workout. i’m always shocked by the ideas that emerge when i step away from the work.
together these approaches help you learn more & find out what you were totally blind to before.
research on the reg
while researching may seem like more work, it’s actually a core tenant to working smarter, not harder.
research is more work upfront, but trust me it saves you time in the long run. when you dig into your ideas, you're zeroing in on what actually matters.
want to level up in work & life? make research a go-to, not just a to-do.
too many people take what they see at face value.
curiosity is your greatest asset.
the more you learn, the more dots you connect, & the more magic you uncover in this wild world we call home.
let’s not sleep on curiosity—it holds the key to entirely new universes!
merry partner: beehiiv
writing a newsletter is one of the best ways to commit to exploring your curiosities. i speak from my own experience as the habit of writing this newsletter weekly 71 times has been a total game changer.
so if you’re looking to start a newsletter, beehiiv (the engine behind this newsletter) is the way to go! if you sign up with my special link, you’ll get a 30 day free trial + 20% off your first 3 months.
plus i’d be happy to help you design your newsletter. just reply & lmk you’re joining the hiiv!
happy searching!
p.s. i’m getting conflicting feedback on the length of my newsletters. will you pretty please share your thoughts here 👇️
how do you feel about the current length of this newsletter? |