A lack of ideas is one of the major reasons we as creative artists don’t create more. Ideas are the starting point for all creative projects. Without an idea, there’s nothing to shape, to evolve, to develop into the wonderful creative art you’re capable of.
Here then is a 3 step guide to ensure you have a never-ending flow of creative ideas:
1. Be open to receive. Ideas are everywhere, but if you’re not open to receiving them, you may as well be walking around with a crash helmet on backwards.
We experience the world through our 5 senses, and naturally these are the 5 channels through which can also receive inspiration and ideas for our creative projects. Practice being more aware of each of your senses in turn. Go to a few unfamiliar places and notice what you experience through each of your senses there, one at a time. The more you do this, the greater your awareness, and the more likely you’ll be open to new stimulation and new ideas.
2. Capture your ideas. First, start an Ideas Journal. This is simply a pocket size sketch book or note book you can keep with you at all times. It doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive, but something you can use easily and quickly.
Now, whenever you have an idea or a beginning of an idea, jot it down in your journal right away, before you forget. The issue most of us have is not that we don’t have enough ideas, it’s that we don’t capture them, so they evaporate and are gone before we can develop them. And you’ll find the more ideas you capture, the more will appear to take their place.
3. Use your ideas. After a while you’ll have a growing collection of creative ideas in your journal. Now when you need somewhere to start for a new creative project, go to your journal.
The mistake many of us make is going to the first entry in the journal, and trying to create something from that idea. Then the next one, then the next one. This doesn’t work; it’s too rigid. Instead, scan through the most recent pages of your journal and pick the first idea that really jumps out at you, the first that excites you and makes you want to create more from it right away. Then when you need another new idea, repeat the process, take the first idea that captures your imagination.
Follow this 3 step plan to have all the creative ideas you’ll ever need. Go ahead, get started today!
By Dan Goodwin
