Since, well, the dawn of time, we've had ideas. I've always been interested in understanding why and I think now, I've got a little understanding on how our ideas come to us; and how they can effect others too.
Lets take musicians for example, there's only so many ways your heart can break, or mend or flourish- and yet we get new love songs, that make us feel a certain emotion every week- how does Adele simultaneously write about love and life so beautifully and has everyone in meltdown every. single. time...
We talk about creatives and non-creatives; but whats the difference? I believe the non-creatives of the world have ideas, but its whether we can trust them or trust ourselves to realise said ideas are good enough to act on them. It's about wanting to believe we have the skills, and what it takes to move our ideas from our brains out into the real world- the groundwork.
The major difference between creatives and non-creatives is that while one will complete that groundwork and give themselves a real shot; the other refuses. Creatives take risks, they're willing to fail, to push away from safe and comfortable because they've had an idea that could really take off.
But where really do our ideas/ thoughts come from?
The "artist as antenna" is one of two ways we conjure up ideas. The concept is that ideas float around waiting for someone to pick them out; as if we're all a radio waiting to hit the right frequency and a song, or station will play. It's the concept used in movies where the protagonist wakes up in the middle of the night and knows completely how to defeat whats standing in their way.
The second option, is that our ideas come from hard work and concentration. Thoughtful concentration. The art of grinding out until you've finally come up with something. If we head back to music, artists have frequently locked themselves away and made themselves write a hook or an entire song before letting themselves sit off, or take a break. The determination to complete (or start) something that really is 'just work' is possibly the most frequent way we have our thoughts.
In reality however, whether you've thought of the next online craze or managed to finish writing your report (or song, poem- anything.) Your ideas have come from a combination of both hard work, concentration and quite literally, out of thin air- out of 'brain air.'
Whatever your everyday life might contain, engaging with the world around you ensures that you keep having ideas, you keep pushing yourself to the next level- whether the world deems you a creative or not. In order to accept ideas- be prepared for them. A engineer won't have ideas about poems unless theres a connect- they've experienced/ practiced that craft. So to have an open mind about the sector you work in can be anything but harmful.
We see this with every child, but at some stage they become curious about absolutely everything. In this regard, we should join the children of the world in staying curious about wanting to understand everything. Just because we go into our careers that we've focused in on, doesn't mean we can't learn more about something difference on the side. The 'what if...' questions are always the best, and you can never predict where you'll end up.
Finally, we should talk about serendipity. Firstly, it's luck. To be in the right place at the right time, how was Newton at exactly the right place to see the apple fall from the tree? Luck. This is something we can't really control, you just have to have hope that you might be rather lucky. Secondly, serendipity is about openness in making relating unrelated things. For example, taking a life lesson from a date, or a pub stop with your mates; thoughtful concentration.
With all of these elements together, it's more than likely that you'll find yourself filling up with ideas (whether they make you a millionaire or not is up to you.) Combining the Eureka moment with the determination that this idea of yours is really something can lead you absolutely anywhere; it's just whether you want to jump on it or let go.
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