7 Ways to Generate New Ideas

7 Ways to Generate New Ideas

• Ideas are our bread and butter
• How do we maintain a steady supply of brilliant ideas?
• Don’t they just… run out? Absolutely Not!

The Secret?
Maintaining everyday habits that keep your brains bursting with marvelous ideas

Here are a Few that we’ve Come to Rely on-

1. Use Structured Exercises

• Creativity Thrives on structure
• There are hundreds of simple exercise to try.
• Take Storyline – a constructive creativity exercise
• Select 4 words at random and create a story with the words. Get incentive!
• Explore alternative exercises and find the best one for you!

2 .Collaborate

• ‘Man ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.’ (Oliver Wendell Holmes, American Physician
• Challenge preconceptions, encourage different thoughts processes and escalate new ideas by working with others.

3. Keep A Diary

• Keeping a diary stimulates thoughts that get Dismissed throughout a busy day.
• Document your thoughts daily and start recording your best ideas
• You’ll probably sleep a little too!

4. Read Books

• Ideas usually develop from known facts, rather than from being Plucked from thin air
• Mix it up, read some fiction, pick up an old novel, check out a few blog posts each day and buy a newspaper
• Don’t despair over distractions
• It’s common for minds to wander that’s a good thing!
• The mind is processing thoughts and ideas, stimulated by the words it digest.

5. Be Curious

• Greet ideas wont happen if you’re stuck indoors all day
• Your brain requires stimulation from external influences.
• A lunchtime walk, a weekend stroll, even a visit to the supermarket will help to get the creative juices flowing

6. Use Metaphors

• Metaphors compare two things to explain or to entertain
• Metaphors engage the right brain -the emotional, creative part.
• Pairing words takes our brains beyond obvious, exploring creative thoughts and ideation
• Metaphors work wonders for creative writing, too!

7. Teach

• There’s o better way of mastering a subject than teaching or presenting it
• Teaching forces you to research a subject in depth – new thoughts are generated by the process
• Next time you’re asked to represent a topic drag yourself away from your comfort zone and get stuck in!

Remember!

1. Note down your ideas -we’ve experienced that eureka moment, only to frustratingly forget it as the mind wanders off to ‘what’s for the dinner’…?
2. Give your brain the time and space to work for you
3. Make your favourite methods a habit and you’ll be off to a fabulous start!
4. Creative idea generation takes time and commitment, rather than being a gift or skill we’re born with.
5. Find the most effective methods for you and keep working on them with energy and enthusiasm