5 Minutes, 20 Ideas – Let’s Have Some Fun Today
For the past couple weeks, I’ve invited you into the review process that my coach friend and I use for our year-end retreat.
We do all the steps in a day, but I’ve been breaking it down into bite-sized installments so you can follow along:
This week I was going to do Step 3: Plan…but really, what was I thinking?
We’re on holiday break right now!
The planning exercise can wait until next week.
Instead, today I have a fun, lighthearted addition to Step 2 that’s the perfect speed for your holiday break. It’s called the 5/20 Idea Sprint.
Quick Recap: Shake That Vision Loose
Remember last week? You imagined what would be true on December 31st 2026 if all your limiting beliefs evaporated and you met all your goals for the year.
It’s a great exercise, but sometimes people get stuck. They struggle to conjure up what they’d want to be true in a year.
I think this is true for all of us: It can be difficult to imagine what’s possible a year from now.
And not just that.
We tend to take the ‘vision’ step too seriously, instead of truly letting our imagination run wild. So let’s shake things up a bit!
5/20 Idea Sprint: Let Movement Fuel Imagination
→ First, crank up some upbeat music and set a timer for 5 minutes. Now move your body until the timer goes off. Run in place, do jumping jacks, or dance like no one is watching. Don’t try to think. Don’t worry about generating ideas. Just move.
→ Next, grab a pen and paper and write this question at the top: “What MIGHT I want to be true at the end of 2026?”
→ Number the blank lines below from one to twenty.
→ Now, without thinking, start spitting out ideas and capture them, one per line. Don’t worry about whether they are good or not. They can be outlandish. They can be tiny. Maybe some are ideas you’ve already been thinking about. Hopefully, some of the ideas will be new.
→ Fill in 20 ideas. If you have more ideas, keep going, but don’t stop till you have at least 20.
→ Now, put the paper away, out of sight for at least 24 hours. Think of it as letting the ideas marinate.
The Real Challenge: Getting Out of Your Head
As leaders, we’re used to thinking logically and using critical thinking.
But when you’re trying to imagine your vision for yourself? Thinking too much can actually put a damper on your creativity and imagination.
When you’re caught up in the spin cycle of your thoughts, the 5/20 Idea Sprint is a great exercise for getting out of your head and brainstorming about any topic. The combination of movement and unfiltered ideation is powerful for imagining new possibilities.
And after some time has passed, you can sort the ideas with fresh eyes. I like to start by crossing off anything that wouldn’t make much of an impact. They go into a “why bother” category.
From here, you can further classify the ideas as either low-hanging fruit (high impact, low effort) or a quest (high impact, high effort).
This sorting exercise makes it easier to identify which ideas you want to pursue. These keepers should be added to your 2026 vision notes.
After you’ve finished with your 5/20 Idea Sprint, be sure to save the list of 20 ideas somewhere you can find it again. There might be some ideas worth pursuing in the future, even if they didn’t make the cut for right now.
I hope 5/20 Idea Sprint helps you flesh out your 2026 vision. It’s all going to be helpful next week when we move on to Step 3, the 2026 plan. (For real this time!)
P.S. Thanks to all of my readers for being a part of my life in 2025! I know how hard you all work. So I hope that during this special season, you get to step away from your leadership responsibilities and truly relax. Take this time to be with your family and friends. Have a nap. Take walks. Eat good food. And notice all that you’re grateful for.