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Stop Losing Your Best Ideas

As a psychologist, blogger, and occasional designer, I'm obsessed with the concept of creativity, especially how to capture the muse when she finally shows up to the party (usually, fashionably late). I won't claim to be an expert, but over the years I've learned a few (let's call it 5) tricks to keep myself from losing my best ideas:

1. Write It Down

You can't control when your best ideas will strike, and if you think you'll remember them later, you're going to be sorely disappointed. When a good idea hits you, do whatever it takes to record it, whether it's good old-fashioned pen and paper, a digital document, or a voice recording. If you tend to have good ideas in inconvenient places, like the car or the shower, be prepared. I often run out of the shower in a towel just to jot something in a Word document - my wife thinks I'm crazy, but at least I grab that towel first.

2. Know Your Cycles

I have a confession: I am not a 9-5 kind of guy. I used to worry about this obsessively when I first started working, but eventually I came to terms with the truth - I am inhumanly productive for about 2-4 hours/day, and the rest of the day I just have to let my brain relax and do its thing. I'm just wired that way. Once I accepted that, I learned to use my 2-4 hours well, and not stress about the rest of the day. Pay attention to when your creative energy is at its peak and learn to take advantage of it.

3. Don't Force It

Of course, there's a flip side to understanding your creative cycle - when you're in the down phase, don't try to force out good ideas. We're all under time pressure sometimes, but forcing yourself to be creative is only going to end in frustration and bad ideas. If you're someone who needs to be creative regularly (like a writer), it's ok to schedule time every day, but be realistic about what you can get out of that time. Discipline is a good thing, but rigidly trying to control your mental peaks and valleys will only lead to sorrow.

4. Stalk Your Muse

Sometimes inspiration strikes again and again in the same place or situation. For me, it's the elliptical machine, the shower and during incredibly boring talks at conferences. When you notice your muse has an M.O., take advantage of it. Plan to put that time to use for quality thinking and be prepared to capture your ideas. I once read about a Japanese inventor who loved to swim and created a waterproof notepad. As for me, I'm still working on that dry erase shower stall.

5. Put Down The Mouse

Mice are for closers only. We're used to capturing our thoughts a certain way, usually by mouse and keyboard. Unfortunately, this creates two problems: (1) we're bombarded with distractions while sitting at the computer, and (2) that sitting-at-the-PC context traps us in a certain frame of mind. Put the mouse down, grab a notepad and go outside, or pick up your laptop and head to the nearest coffee shop. We all need a change of scenery once in a while.

The Ultimate Idea

Finally, I have to tell a story that adds nothing to the usefulness of this post but is the inspiration for the photo. Back in college, I was doing some dream research at Stanford - they had me using all kinds of gadgets to record my sleep patterns, which gave me the unique opportunity to capture my late-night ideas. You know the ones I'm talking about - the 4am idea that would change the world as you know it but that you instantly forget when you wake up.

One night, I had just such an epiphany. It would feed the hungry, put hair on the bald, and end the browser wars. The next morning, I awoke like a rich, suburban kid on Christmas morning to discover that I had written the following:

Cheese log castles

Needless to say, I'm still working on how to monetize that one.

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