When you need ideas, the thought of it can either be extremely exciting or it can be a process that just causes unwanted stress.
This stress can make us feel awful due to not being able to move forward with our project, stopping us from getting any real work done. From my experience writing articles for two companies, the process can be a little tricky but as with anything the hardest part is simply getting started.
With every project, I start pretty much the same way each time. Firstly, I ensure I have a piece of paper and a pen, then I use my laptop for things such as research, and to see what is already available to ensure my new ideas will fit in line with my old ideas, and the niche within my website.
Something that I learned a long time ago back when I was at school, that I still use to this day to form new ideas is a mind map.
For example, purposes, I will use the subject ‘brainstorming new ideas’ to write about. I start with the main topic in the middle of my mind map (Carved Culture), I then have lines moving away from it in different directions with categories that are on my website such as Musical instruments.
After breaking that down further you can then think so clearly because you are no longer trying to put everything together, you are being more precise in the terminology of your possible associations.
Musical Instruments turns into > Shakers > Drums > Woodwind > Instrument Packs and then before you know it topics such as ‘Our best selling shakers, what is a shaker? The differences between a maraca and a rattle? What is a gourd? Musical Instruments from Peru, and so on etc.
After looking at these topics that have come to us out of nowhere, we are able to build our list of usable ideas and even looking at them may spark other creative energy that will provide us with even more ideas. You should be sure to not be critical of any ideas that come your way until later.
Another way to brainstorm ideas is to question everything, why, how, where, who and what. Questioning means that your brain will need to calculate the answer which could lead to something valuable.
Lastly you could try the gap-filling method, this includes writing on the left side of the paper where you are now and on the right side where you want to be. What is in your way and how can you get to where you want.
This will ultimately help you achieve your goal, and the more precise and specific, the easier it will be to accomplish. Another great way to find new ideas is to change your way of thinking, now whilst this may seem difficult, simply reading a book by a successful person who has managed to generate thousands of ideas for many entrepreneurs and businesses is a fantastic way to start.
In the 'idea factory,' the author takes your mind to new thought processes and shakes things up. His concepts are based on 10 years worth of research, and featured are many ways to generate new ideas. One part that I loved was £100 hour, which I adapted to my businesses.
The idea of it is that it is extremely difficult trying to work out how to earn millions and the thought of having to come up with that idea is overwhelming, to say the least. However, if you spent one-hour focusing on how to make an extra £100 and let all of your ideas come in freely, later on, you can work towards those goals, and those one-hundred-pound ideas add up!
