Imagine a world completely devoid of new ideas. Draw a line in the sand, dig your heels in and get comfortable, because this is as good as it’s ever going to get. It paints a pretty bleak picture, doesn’t it?

It’s safe to say that we, as a society, are reliant on new ideas. We need new concepts, new colours, and new ways of doing things in order to keep the world around us productive and interesting.

Look back upon what got us from where we used to be to where we are now, and ask yourself what was required. The basics certainly jump to mind; food, oxygen, water and sunlight. But these staples only guarantee survival; homeostasis. They ensure that things will exist in the same sameness that they always have.

It is ideas that move things forward.

Do you live your life accordingly?

How many times in an average day does an idea cross your mind that strikes you as interesting?

Maybe it’s a process that could be improved upon. Maybe it’s a combination of food that could make the perfect dish, a business idea that finds you in the middle of the night, or a tune that you can’t stop humming in the shower.

I’m willing to bet these events happen more often than you’ve ever realized. We are blessed with minds that solve problems, unravel things and put them back together; resulting in an incredible capacity for new, original thought.

Where do your ideas land?

How many of those ideas ever make it out of your head?

Case in point: this blog post. Every once in awhile, I sit down to capture this concept in writing. And yet every time, it somehow never makes it past the censors; the imaginary (yet very real) assassin of ideas that lives between our imagination and our willingness to express.

Try this statement on for size:
“Some of my greatest ideas have never made it out of my head, never been spoken aloud or documented on paper. I’ve written poetry and melodies. I’ve built empires in my mind. I’ve solved problems and built bridges. And yet, I’m left with nothing but this statement.
Some of my greatest ideas are now distant memories, forgotten by everyone, including myself.”

Does it fit? I raise my hand.

Give your imagination a fighting chance

This is a work in progress for me, as it is for all of us. But here are some thoughts that I am trying in order to get ideas (big and small, important and meaningless) past the censors that wield such power in our cognitive process.

Stop relying on others

Understand that ideas are democratic and available to everyone. Telling yourself that others are smarter, funnier, or more artistic is a crutch. It’s an excuse to make yourself feel okay about your habit of crushing your own dreams. If ideas represent the progressive force of our species, it is your responsibility to contribute.

Find your place

When I run, my mind chases thoughts faster than my feet can carry me. The barriers are broken, and the torrents of creativity are unleashed. Miles and marathons can pass unnoticed as one idea dovetails to the next daydream. No problem seems too small, and no concept too farfetched. Anything is possible, my lungs and legs representing my only limitations in the world.

Do you have a place where ideas find you, before you even think to look for them? It could be an actual place, or it could be a time, a behaviour or hobby…

Find it, because that’s where your ideas are safe.

Find your assassin

When I return from a run, as soon as my heartbeat slows the assassin begins to creep in. As I climb the stairs to my apartment, he begins to spread doubt and conflict. The ideas are now suspect. They’ve been done before, they’re not feasible, not possible. And they’re probably not interesting to anyone, anyways.. By the time I step inside, untie my shoes and step back into my world, my ideas are gone; homeostasis and sameness are safe for another night.

Do you have a behaviour that kills your ideas before they’ve ever even had a chance? A recurring thought, fear or anxiety that turns shiny promise into a dusty afterthought?

Find those too, because they’re what you’re going to battle against.

Capture your inspiration

If you’ve found your place where your mind is free from the burden of creative anxiety, your mission is to capture your these thoughts before they leave you. Don’t carry your ideas unprotected and undocumented – the temptation to forget all about them will be too great. You will let yourself down.

• Carry a notebook dedicated only to new ideas – Resist the temptation to write down phone numbers or meeting minutes in these pages. This is like capturing fireflies in a jar; don’t pollute it with things that don’t glow.
• Record voice memos – See that mobile phone in your pocket? I bet it has the capability to record voice memos. Paul Durham from Black Lab showed me the power of leaving yourself voicemails when inspiration strikes. Not only do you have a record of the concept, but you document the excitement of the moment, something that can be invaluable as you later reflect upon your inspiration.

Make an investment

Ever noticed how a sports game is more interesting when you have a friendly wager on the line?
Put something of yourself into your idea as soon as possible. This could be as easy as buying a domain name or sending an email to propose a brainstorming meeting. Lean into it and lower your shoulder; making ideas happen is a contact sport.

Make a commitment

Give yourself a deadline. I told myself I wouldn’t sleep tonight until this blog post was complete.

Set a calendar reminder for whenever you feel you should have taken an action. To go a step further, on a regular basis, revisit your idea book or your voice memos. Use your own history to learn what makes you successful and where you stumble.

As I press the final punctuation, this represents one thought that I took from concept to completion. There will be another addition to the site soon that represents something I should have acted on a long time ago.

Where do you go to find inspiration? How successful are you at battling the temptation to censor? How do you summon the courage to share with the world?

Image credit:qisur

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