You cannot expect inspiration to strike on your timetable. However, as last week’s post Consistency Is a Key to Creativity mentioned, if you practice creativity you are more likely to generate fresh ideas when you need them. Why do you want to get more ideas? The more accustomed you are to generating ideas, the more moments of inspiration you will have.
Ideas lead to solutions. Ideas lead to innovative products and processes. Ideas create progress.
Another way to keep your mind pumping out ideas is to get more inputs. Inputs are pieces of information that your brain takes in. They can be in the form of smells, sounds, sights, tastes, experiences, and emotions. Your brain processes the inputs, learns from them, and stores the information for later recall.
The best part of getting more inputs is that it can be a lot of fun and it is simple. There are two things you must do to get more inputs:
- Be curious.
Ask lots of questions. Talk to new people. Find out how stuff works. Take up a new hobby. Read a book or article on a subject about which you do not know much. - Be courageous.
Try new things. Eat different foods. Listen to a new genre of music. Sign up for a class. Join a Facebook group. Go on an adventure.
Author Julia Cameron, who wrote The Artist’s Way, calls this “restocking the well” – or replenishing our creative sources. For more ideas of how to refill your creative well, click here.