The Art of Finding Ideas

Since humans have been using language, we have been exchanging ideas. Free exchange of ideas not only helps us to convey information, it INSPIRES us to think of new ones. Jason Silvia gives us an interesting perspective with his latest video shown at a recent TED conference.

While many ideas are inspired by other ideas, there are more ways to find inspiration:

Take a trip. Go somewhere you have never been to get a new perspective on life.  Can’t hop on a plane? Change things a bit. Take a different way to work or try something new.  The point is to disrupt your surroundings to take you out of your current context. It will influence you to think in new ways.

Find your sense of wonder. Awe-inspiring experiences force our brains to re-write preconceived notions and become more receptive to new ideas. A person can be inspired by something as simple as a YouTube video or as grand as a visit to a foreign country.

Be open-minded. We often approach the unknown (new ideas) with prejudice, which can get in the way of completely experiencing them.

Tell a story. The final step in developing an idea is to share it with others. An idea should be told like a story to be expressed well. Use the same concept of progression and description. Appearances matter.

Inspiration can come from other people, places, or ideas. Doing the same thing will not yield a different outcome. If you are stuck in a rut, try something you have never done before and keep an open mind.