Ideas exist everywhere all at once.
But at times that can appear elusive when you're not tapped in. After you've put in the reps every day towards something bigger than yourself, you begin to move in a state of flow. Nothing can stop you, and everything feels like it's at your fingertips.
We've all been there.
On top of the world.
But what if you're not? What if today is, and the past few days have been the kind where you felt lost? You're unsure whether to go up or down, left or right, afraid you'll make a mistake and ruin your future.
How do you create when you feel lost?
When ideas are elusive, and a direction is unknown.
I've been there before.
One of the main lessons I learned from that experience is the importance of having a strong 'why'. You need to understand why you're living this life and why you want to succeed at what you do.
I'm reading this fascinating book called "The Dip" by Seth Godin, and one of the things that stood out to me is when he says, "You want to be the best."
If not for the simple fact that you'll be on top of mind like the best brands.
Consumers will choose you over your competition if you are the best. If you never settled for second best. Only then can you begin to decide what to do and what not to do.
You need a strong 'why'. Your raison d'être.
That's where good ideas stem from, because if you're not in the fight, weapons won't appear. Know your 'why'.
Then the rest will come easy.
A Technique For Idea Generation
I came across some literature recently that piqued my interest.
In five steps, one can generate creative ideas. Then I thought, well, if you go through the motions, it shouldn't matter if you're lost or found. The technique should still work, right?
The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became, and having lately felt a little lost, I applied the five techniques outlined in "A Technique for Producing Ideas" by James Webb Young.
The Steps are as Follows:
Gather Raw Material
Digest and Examine the Material
Drop The Problem (Incubation)
Birth of the Idea (Illumination)
Shape and Develop The Idea (Reality Check)
1) Gather Raw Material
When gathering raw material, you want to broaden your intellectual horizons.
Read widely, observe the world, and explore various fields.
Follow your curiosity and experiment often. Or in other words, deeply research the problem, client, product, or subject you're working on. Think of this step as collecting ingredients before you cook.
2) Digest and Examine the Material
At this stage, you want to look for connections between bits of information.
Synthesize facts. Compare, combine, and play with combinations you've never imagined. Have fun.
Use techniques like mind mapping to explore relationships among the material. This is the mental chewing phase where you turn raw data into something digestible.
3) Drop The Problem (Incubation)
This step is crucial.
Take a break.
Let your subconscious work on the idea while you do something else, such as taking a walk, resting, playing, or sleeping.
Forcing ideas at this point will cause frustration, so seriously take a break. Do anything you possibly can other than thinking about the problem.
4) Birth of the Idea (Illumination)
At some point, once you've truly let go, an idea will suddenly emerge.
Often at an unexpected time, like in the shower or during a walk.
It's essential to keep in mind that it may not be a complete solution, but it will be the spark or breakthrough you're after.
5) Shape and Develop the Idea (Reality Check)
In the final step, you want to take the idea and test it in the real world.
Adapt, refine, improve.
Often, what seemed brilliant in your head needs work to function in reality, but don't let this stop you. You now have ideas to mold, akin to the slab of stone to a sculpture.
This is also where feedback and collaboration are valuable.
What's Next?
Try out this five-step technique for generating ideas when you feel lost, and watch what comes out of it.
In my experience, I've been able to resolve a few pressing matters, and although it took some time, I believe I arrived at the best solutions.
I'll then leave you with this quote from the book.
"An idea is nothing more nor less than a new combination of old elements."
For the me the shower is my boardroom. All of my best ideas come to me while I’m shampooing! My days can be very hectic and that’s my most relaxing “me” time. I guess in a way shampoo is my muse lol. I think there’s a parenting parallel here too. There are so many days when I just show up without knowing what the “idea” is and then something beautiful happens. Just showing up as a mom has led to some of the most wonderful moments with my daughter. Thank you for the reflective and empowering read Idris Elijah!
I write regularly but I’ve had a few days where I just stare at the screen and nothing happens. I love the reminder to let the idea come through instead of forcing it. It’s comforting to learn that incubation is part of the work. That letting go can actually make space for something real to emerge. And now I definitely want to check out The Dip by Seth Godin. That line about wanting to be the best to truly stand out, not out of ego, has me curious. I’m adding this to my reading list now. Thank you for all the engaging insights today Idris Elijah!!