The purpose of this article is to explain to you how I get my ideas, and maybe help you with your own ideas, etc.
Attitude: Attitude is everything! “I never win anything!” “I can never have ideas!” People who think this way will probably never win anything and never get many ideas, because they’ve already convinced themselves they can’t. The glass is half empty… or the glass is half full… take your pick. I’ve always been a positive thinker, and that’s probably one of the reasons I have my share of ideas. (knock on wood)
The Kiss Principle – Keep It Simple, Stupid – Whether it’s carving a piece of wood or coaching a minor league baseball team, I’ve always subscribed to the kiss principle and believe this is one of the most important things in the game. idea development. It has always amazed me how complex and technical some people can do things. A couple of years ago, I bought a book through a book club, and if I could have looked at the book, I never would have bought it. The book was about ideas and creativity, and was written by a “Ph.D” from Stanford University. The book was too technical and complex for me, it contained forty and fifty dollar words that I couldn’t understand. I threw it!
Those of us who have followed sports over the years know that when a team is losing, it may be because the team’s game plan has become too technical…and the game plan has to be simplified. And, over the years, I’ve heard coaches say when they’re losing… “We need to get back to basics!” If this is done, in my opinion, the team will probably start winning again. It makes no difference in the business of ideas…keep things simple and you’ll get more ideas than you can imagine. And that’s why I threw away the book mentioned earlier… it was too complicated.
Stress – Most of us have heard the term “writer’s block”, right? For a general look at ideas, I’ve always preferred to use the term “creative block,” because everyone is creative in their own way. And they all crash… some more than others. I don’t think anyone can work at their best under stressful conditions. Therefore, I do my best to remove stress from my life as much as possible. In my opinion, stress is the biggest obstacle to creativity! If I can’t come up with ideas, I have to start thinking about the stress in my life. Or, if there’s a good chance, I’ll be blocked until I can reduce or eliminate the stress.
Open Mind: My father had a closed mind during his life. Difficult to deal with as it was like talking to a wall. I think one of the best qualities a person can have is to have an open mind to have a change for the better. “My way or the highway.” We have all heard that term, and people who engage in this type of behavior are closed-minded and a person cannot get anywhere with this type of person.
Being a good listener: There probably aren’t many people who know why Microsoft’s Bill Gates is so successful and rich, except Bill Gates himself. But, all of us can guess. Bill Gates has said many times in public that he likes to surround himself with smart and creative people. And, since ideas can’t be copyrighted, he’s HEARD all the great ideas from all those smart, creative people he’s hired…and the rest is history! Bill Gates and Paul Allen could not have created the behemoth of Microsoft on their own, at such a young age, without the help of others. And that help came in the form of great ideas from his staff.
Get Organized: Disorganization in a person’s life can cause stress! I have seen some people so disorganized that I don’t know how they survive. One of my sisters is like that. She and her husband are always late for everything… they were even late for their own wedding. They fight all the time, probably due to disorganization in their lives!
Stop and smell the roses: Today (2006), we live in a rushed society! If we all had 48 hours in a day, there still wouldn’t be enough time. Since 1986, I’ve been stopping and smelling the roses, running 15 miles a week, and going outside just so I can think. No cell phone; no laptop; no headphones; no black berries; strawberries or blueberries, either. I don’t want anything to interfere with my quiet time…this is my time. And I think my quiet time gives me more ideas. Plus, it also keeps me in shape. I think everyone should have some quiet time to themselves.
Be observant; Have you ever noticed that some people are in their own little world and never notice much of anything around them? Since I have been in the humor business most of my life, I have been asked if there is any difference between ordinary people and comedians. And, the answer is YES…there is a difference. Ever wonder where a comedian gets their stuff? Observation of things around you. Comedians are always looking for new material to keep their act fresh, and this requires paying attention to detail.
Small Spiral Notebook: My Meat and Potatoes. I carry a small notebook with me at all times, so I can jot down ideas before they slip away. My memory is terrible and sometimes I don’t remember where I live. I just need a word for an idea; or maybe a sentence I overheard in a conversation at work, etc.
Clipboard: One of my best companions for years. At home, I always have a clipboard handy, so if an idea comes to mind, I can grab it and build on it. I keep one by my bed, as I get a lot of my ideas in my sleep, and wake up and jot down ideas before I forget. If I go to work or wash the car, I’ll put a clipboard in the front seat just in case. Ideas don’t make appointments… they just come when they want.
View Board: Probably the most important thing I do for ideas is something I call a “view board.” I made it from Masonite and it is about 6 feet by 3 feet and is similar to a bulletin board. I covered it with decorative contact paper and trimmed it with a nice trim. I stuck the peek board to the wall at my workplace and keep most of my ideas on the peg board. I work on about 8-10 ideas at a time, and this is a good way to keep my ideas front and center in my mind.
When I wake up in the morning, I go and look at the board; once or twice during the day (if I am at home); before leaving; and before I go to bed I look at the board. In this way, my mind is always working on ideas, as they are kept in the foreground. It only takes about a minute. I never bury my ideas in a folder or file cabinet. Even if it is a single word, it appears in the information panel.
The business idea is not easy! Ideas don’t grow on trees. You will get good ideas if you want to work for them. Everything in my world revolves around simplicity, and all the things I have described in this article are as simple as they can be. Why make things more complex than they already are? You get stressed… and that leads to blocking… and you come up empty handed when it comes to getting ideas. I hope these tips have helped you… Good luck!