Do you ever find yourself trying to come up with a creative idea to solve a problem and/or challenge? Where do you go find those new ideas?
Ideas are everywhere. You find them in a casual conversation, a subway/bus ad, radio, tv, book or lecture. They come as surprises when we are not trying, when we are walking in a beautiful setting, taking a shower, in the middle of the night, at the grocery store or while driving.
Creativity is nothing more than connecting the dots, connecting things that already exist and bringing them to a higher level. Those that we consider “creative” are the people that take the time to think about their experiences, can connect them and merge them to create new concepts.
So how do you find and create new ideas and solutions? By paying attention, by learning and connecting with other people, by asking questions and dreaming big. Only then will we progress and transform. Don’t be afraid to think differently. Most “creative” people don’t create things, they see them. They have an awareness that everyone and everything they come across can offer a new insight, a new perspective, a new opportunity; they are perpetual learners. As ideas evolve, perceptions change and epiphanies happen. We must challenge ourselves to pay attention to see opportunities where others don’t. We are idea generators. “Impossible is a word to be found in the dictionary of fools.” – Napoleon Bonaparte