Create An ideas Garden

byTheCatherine

14K followers

3 months ago

When it comes to creating courses, blogs, podcasts, or any content, the fear of running out of ideas can stop people in their tracks. How often do you read here, "My niche is too narrow - I can't think of anything to write about.

In reality, ideas multiply when given the chance. Each seed thought that gets written down or recorded can sprout into a whole garden full of related notions. We think our wells of inspiration will dry up because we fail to capture flashes of insight before they fade.

An engaging idea will occur to you, and you think "I should jot that down to share later." But then life intervenes - your spouse asks about dinner plans, the laundry calls. Now you're focused elsewhere and that nugget of genius gets lost.

The next day when you sit to create, you wonder "What will I even talk about?" If only you could retrieve that forgotten gem! Having an "Idea Garden" system solves this problem. It gives your ideas a place to grow more ideas organically, no matter how small your niche.

Like a vegetable patch producing food from soil, this idea repository conjures fresh content from thin air. Making it a habit to capture inspiration makes running out of concepts a non-issue. When ideas have a nurturing environment, they multiply faster than you can harvest them.

These tips might help you foster creativity and get your ideas flowing.

1. Keep an idea journal. Always carry a small notebook or use your phone notes to jot down ideas as they come to you throughout the day. Review your journal regularly to reflect on ideas and make new connections.
2. Build an inspiration library. Collect quotes, articles, images, objects, textures, songs, videos etc. that spark ideas for you. Refer to this library when you need some inspiration.
3. Take regular walks or do repetitive tasks. Allow your mind to wander freely. Creative ideas often strike when your mind is relaxed and able to make unexpected connections.
4. Set aside regular brainstorming time. Whether it's 5 minutes in the morning or a weekly hour-long session, give yourself dedicated time to intentionally generate ideas. Use brainstorming techniques like listing, mind mapping, free-writing etc.
5. Expose yourself to new experiences. Seek out fresh perspectives by attending events outside your norm, reading eclectic books, having conversations with interesting strangers. New experiences fuel the creative engine. Encourage wandering. Allow time for self-directed investigation, exploring, and mental wandering - don't over-schedule or micromanage. Freedom fuels innate curiosity.
6. Alternate focused attention with relaxation. Focused work generates ideas, open relaxation allows your mind to integrate them. Keep alternating in this cycle.
7. Collaborate with others. Brainstorming together pushes you beyond your usual thinking patterns. Engage colleagues, friends, or online communities.
8. Don't just read eclectic book, although they are fun read a lot. Scribd.com is a great place to get lots of content on loads of things.
9. Learn something new everyday. Ask open-ended questions.These are questions that don't have a simple yes/no or one-word answer. Use prompts like "What made you interested in..." and "Help me understand..." to spur deeper discussion.
10. Express genuine interest. When someone is sharing information, make eye contact, actively listen, and ask thoughtful follow up questions. Avoid judging or rebutting. Your engaged presence will make them feel intriguing.
11. Explore freshly. Seek out new environments, experiences and challenges on a regular basis. Let your natural curiosity towards novelty pull you to learn. Take up that creative hobby you've wondered about.

The key is to intentionally plant a seedbed of experiences, stimulus and habits that nurture your creativity over time. Tend to this garden daily for a continual harvest of fresh ideas.