The P.I.E. Strategy doesn’t involve blueberries, pumpkin, or chocolate cream (unfortunately).

Regarding the P.I.E Strategy, “P.I.E.” stands for “Pause, Innovate, Engage.” The purpose of the P.I.E Strategy is to (1) allow one’s self some necessary “Pause” time, (2) use that time to come up with new ideas in order to fuel innovation, and then (3) to put those new and innovative ideas into action.

I’m not one that subscribes to the theory that humans should work like machines. Human beings are deep, complex, creative, and emotional creatures that, while driven to achieve a wide variety of successes, also need time to “Pause” if they really and truly want to be their best.

Humans need to “Pause” so that we can dedicate our free time to learning, new experiences, meeting new people, and essentially just living life. In this way, we learn and grow and can achieve a better sense of direction and purpose in life.

The notions behind the P.I.E. Strategy can also be easily applied to many facets of business development.  It’s a strategy that I use regularly as a writer and aspiring author. Here’s how it works:

The P.I.E. Strategy

Step One: Pause

You know that feeling of being stuck in a rut? If you’re struggling to be creative, to put forth fresh and new ideas, it’s time to take a mental break. Explore your personal hobbies and interests fully. Spend time with family and friends. Relax. Go on an adventure. Take the necessary amount of time you need to “Pause” from work life and free your mind from that constant stream of inner dialogue and thought.

Reassure yourself that “Pausing” is perfectly fine. You’re not slacking off or being lazy. You’re making an investment here. You are investing your time to free up your inner creative self and are allowing yourself to be inspired by new ideas.

Step Two: Innovate

Time to mix things up. How can you improve your craft? What can you do to be unique, different, and stand out? This is the time to think outside of the box. Use this time investment during your “Pause” to try new things, to speak to different people about different subjects than you’re used to. Watch a movie that you otherwise would pass off as being, “not you.” The goal here is to free your mind. When you try new experiences with the explicit intent of thinking up new, creative, and innovative ideas, you are really going to be impressed by the results!

Step Three: Engage

By now, you’re rested from your “Pause” and have a series of new, creative and innovative ideas. Time to implement them! Utilize your social networking tools to start discussing your new ideas. Ask for feedback and constructive criticism. Collaborate with others.

Your strategy should be to engage others’ interest in your projects. Create a buzz and when your ideas are fully implemented, publicize the hell out of it for a short period to let everyone know that you accomplished your goals. Here’s an example of how I use the P.I.E. Strategy as a writer.

Pause: Get away from the computer for an afternoon or a day. Get outside and into nature, go for a long drive, hit the beach with family, etc.

Innovate: How can I streamline my website? How do I distinguish myself? What if I try a new campaign that both promotes my websites and compliments the philosophy set forth in my book, The Quiet Leader? That way, I promote my websites and distinguish myself as a writer, while living the philosophy that I am trying to sell to book publishers.

Engage: Set deadlines, declare them to the world, and get back to work. Be relentless in engaging your ideas and making them a reality.

So, give it a try! Remember the “P.I.E. Strategy” — Pause, Innovate, Engage!