Have you ever struggled for good ideas? Maybe you need content for your blog and you can’t think of anything interesting to write about. Maybe you are looking to expand your business and feel unable to conceive of a new strategy. Or perhaps you have a problem and you have no idea how to deal with it. At this point, you’re prone to wondering:
“Where do ideas come from? How do those creative types seem to always have a good idea up their sleeve? Where can I turn to for that kind of inspiration?”
If similar thoughts have ever crossed your mind, this article will provide some simple solutions.
The storyteller’s guide to making up ideas
Neil Gaiman is one of the most prolific and influential English-born writers, right up there with JK Rowling. In fact, many people believe the latter drew “inspiration” from the former while conceiving of her magnum opus.
But – digressions aside, the point being… Gaiman is often asked where he gets so many amazing ideas from. So one day he wrote an inspiring essay where he tackled this issue. This is the gist of what he said:
“You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we’re doing it.”
In case that might have sounded elusive, he further added a condensed answer to the question of where does he get ideas from: “I make them up. Out of my head.” And while this answer may sound somewhat blunt and obvious, it’s actually brilliant.
You too have a steady flow of ideas coming from within. The only difference between you and Neil Gaiman is that he has learned to take notice of his ideas, and take stock of them. He values and cherishes his ideas. And using those ideas, he has managed to impress millions of readers throughout the world.
So, here’s the take-out from this story:
Great ideas come to those who are receptive to them
That’s all there is to it! If you are serious about having great ideas, you just have to become receptive to having those ideas. You must create space within yourself for those ideas to flourish, and you have to tune into that space as often as possible, paying attention to the ideas as they arise.
We all have ideas, all the time. But ideas are worthless unless you act on them. And in order to act on your ideas, the first step is making sure you don’t forget about them.
How do you make sure your best ideas don’t fade? Write them down. Be serious about it; don’t assume you’ll remember a great idea later on, because 99% of the times you won’t. You are actually wasting great ideas by the dozen, because you don’t bother to write them down.
So if you’re serious about having great ideas and keeping them, start taking notes. Scribble down in a notepad, or get into the habit of recording your ideas into your smartphone. Whatever works for you; just remember to catch them as soon as they arise.
Because great ideas are fleeting. And there’s always someone out there who’s eager to catch them, and willing to act on them. Be that person.
One Response
Great Article, funny thing was that just last night I as sleeping and I had an idea pop into my head. I raced to my office and wrote down the idea on my notepad. Always write things down! You never know what will come of the idea!
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