subject: Stock Your Inventive Reservoir Before You Go Fishing for Ideas [print this page] Stock Your Inventive Reservoir Before You Go Fishing for Ideas
Inspiration is surely a necessary component within the idea creation process. Perhaps a much less recognized fact, nonetheless, is that inspiration flows most freely to those that routinely expose themselves to new and various types of artistic inspiration and stimuli (comparable to new concepts, phrases, pictures, media, occasions, and many others).
You may say that develop into a human sponge (of multi-media input) and you acquire an aggressive edge in problem solving.
The way it works: Associative Thinking
Because the mind absorbs its new data (those words, images and symbols), the brain's pure associative thinking means is stimulated, making imaginative new hurdles and connections between seemingly unrelated concepts. (Ask your self, "What if I mix a baby carriage with a bicycle?" and see what pops into your head!) This unconscious combinative play takes place all the time in our mind, and is regarded as an indicator of innovative, cutting edge thinking.
The traditional action of exposing our mind to fresh, new and interesting reference data, with a purpose to broaden our creative range and depth, is known as "Stocking the Pond."
This precept is championed by Julia Cameron, best-selling creator on the subject of creativity, in her timeless ebook, The Artist's Way. Cameron makes use of the metaphor of the thoughts as a inventive reservoir a sort of effectively-stocked pond that requires consistent replenishment of latest and unmatched "fish to fry." As inventive thinkers, it is crucial that we keep this thriving internal inventive ecosystem.
The behavior of regularly stocking the pond is very essential for many who steadily partake in brainstorming sessions. If their inspiration pool isn't commonly replenished, they run the chance of "overfishing" their creative reservoirs. Whenever you hear complaints about a person or a workforce recycling the usual, outdated ideas, over and over, more than likely the principle of stocking the pond is being neglected or ignored.
Inspiration is here, there and in all places.
Where can we find steady sources of latest inspiration? The response is surprisingly simple: merely open up your eyes and ears and pay attention. Brain enhancing stimuli are all over the place! We are literally immersed in a wealthy, planetary ocean of visions, symbols, tales, info, sounds, motions, and sensations.
The truth is there may be a lot of information competing for our consumption, our brains have adapted psychological filters to stop overload. However with a little practice, you and your teams can open up your senses and start to understand those issues that peak your interest and jump start your imagination.
A very good place to start, of course, is the Internet. Because of the net, and the infinite amount of knowledge accessible to us there, we will all follow our curiosity down the rabbit hole, deep into mankind's gathered information, knowledge, creativity and tradition-accessible to us 24/7. There's nothing like a little bit of associative web surfing to trigger new connections that may result in serendipitous solutions.
Other rich sources of artistic stimuli embrace tv, radio, books, magazines, films, theatre, games, concert events, performances, museums, colleges and universities, and even nature itself. Keep in mind Isaac Newton and the falling apple, or Archimedes in his overflowing bathtub? Eureka!
By cultivating a day by day ritual of indulging our curiosity and exploring where it leads us, we can create an automatic re-stocking system that may maintain our internal reservoirs brimming with every kind of latest, unique and innovative fish.
