Want better ideas without waiting for inspiration or spending too much time brainstorming? Generating original and creative ideas is an art, and like any other art, there are various ways to master it. If you want a quick know-how on how to come up with creative ideas quickly, read on.
Clear your mind to get out of the ‘bad idea rut’
The first thing you need to do is stop worrying about everything so you can put all your energy into birthing awesome ideas. For instance, a common thought that plagues most people is ‘I don’t have a creative bone in my body’ or ‘I am not creative enough’
Limiting beliefs like these will only hold you back from coming up with authentic ideas. Free yourself from boundaries and inhibitions by believing in the fact that we are all born creative.
Exercise your mind and stop overthinking
As blogger, entrepreneur and ‘idea machine’ James Altucher says, you have to exercise your ‘ideas muscle’ to hone your creativity. He encourages people to do as he does: “write 10 ideas every day no matter what.” Just pick a theme and get started.
The objective of this exercise is to get familiar with the process of idea generation, not to execute the ideas that come to you. What’s more, it will also lessen the internal pressure of perfectionism, which according to James, prevents you from spawning ideas. In fact, he says that “you have to shut the brain off to come up with ideas. The way you shut the brain off is by forcing it to come up with bad ideas.”
Do your research
As awesome as spontaneity is, it won’t help you much if you do not have adequate knowledge about your topic. Know your subject matter well so that your ideas flow in the right direction.
Pune-based software tester Kiera, 24, agrees. She says, ”whenever I need to debug a piece of code, I don’t just jump in and try random stuff. I study the code thoroughly and then figure out what I can do to make it as flawless as possible.”
Take a break
Sometimes, the best ideas come when you are doing anything else other than thinking about them. And according to science and personal experience, the shower is one such place. Buffer co-founder Leo Widrich talks about the why in his blog post.
The basic reason is this: when we are relaxed and distracted, our mind and subconscious work together to craft the idea we were looking for. Apart from taking a shower, music and exercise also help achieve such results. Basically, do whatever relaxes and energizes you.
Give it time and space
Idea generation takes time, so give yourself ample time to do the same. Also, do it in a creative zone that inspires you. This will give you a safe, judgment-free space to explore and note down your ideas. It will also help you to focus on your task.
All in all, good ideas are not as random as they seem. It takes a lot more than luck to bring them to life. While there are many tried and tested techniques to get better ideas, it ultimately boils down to what works for you. Good luck!
