Myths & traps of idea generation

Idea myths

Only experts can be creative
This is both true and a myth. You don’t need to be an expert to be creative as anyone can have ideas. However if you are going to have ideas about a particular subject you need to become an expert in it. All creative people we have ever worked with have had in common the desire to become obsessed with any subject matter they may be working with.

The best way has already been found
Tell this one to James Dyson. There once was only one way to vacuum the carpet until James appeared on the scene. There is always a better way. You just need to believe it, and of course think of it!

Ideas are like magic
It feels like magic when the ideas appear, but ideas are the result of hard work. There is absolute truth in the saying that ideas are 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

Only a gifted few are creative
No-one is born creative, you have to work at it. We all have an equal ability to create the next big idea. From our experience, the people who try the hardest to have ideas are the ones who have the most ideas. And it’s no myth as to why that is.

Creative thinking is nice but impractical
We hear this one a lot. Some people really do think that spending time creative thinking is for layabouts and those “arty’ types. Well here is a truth for you. If you want to have new ideas you won’t get them by doing the same things you do now over and over again as you will just get the same results. So let some creative thinking into your day, put your feet up on your desk and daydream. You’ll find it’s the most practical thing that you ever do.

Idea traps

What will other people think
One of the biggest barriers to new ideas making it into the world is the fear of criticism. If you want to have great ideas and make them happen then get over the criticism thing. Usually the worst that happens is that someone makes your idea even better.

I’m too busy
Creative thinking is hard work. It takes time and persistence. We often hear people say that they are too busy to have new ideas and they always have excuses such as they have so many emails to answer and many other day to day distractions blah blah. If you want to have ideas you need to make time and get busy with it before someone gets there first with the brilliant idea you know you could have had.

I’m not trained to be creative
Anyone can be creative. You don’t need any formal training. You do need to understand the creative process (explained later in this notebook), and you do need to work hard at it. That’s all there is to it really.

I might fail
Yes you will fail. It’s a fact of life when it comes to ideas. You will have an idea that you think is the king of all ideas and no-one will like it, or it just won’t work. You’ll end up with egg on your face and feeling pretty silly. But that’s just how it is. So brush yourself off and get on with your next big idea as it’s going to be the one that makes you famous.

I’m not brainy enough
Having ideas is not about been brainy. A PHD in astrophysics won’t make you any more likely to have a great idea. So be content in the knowledge that what you have between your ears is quite capable of making you the next Einstein. Put simply. It’s not how big it is that counts, its what you do with it.

Happy idea hunting!