A Framework for New Ideas
Originally published on Medium: A Framework for New Ideas. In the boundless realm of human… | by Thomas McGregor | Nov, 2023 | Medium
In the boundless realm of human creativity, ideas flourish like seeds waiting to sprout into something in the physical world. Yet, behind every groundbreaking innovation, lies a hidden landscape — the roots from which these ideas originate. Join on the expedition to unravel the fundamental elements that shape and define the very foundation of our boldest and most imaginative thoughts.
When someone speaks an idea, often we reward the root of the idea as the intention. This is often misleading because ideas are often cloaked in a coating that implies good intentions when the results of the proposed idea could offer implications that hurt someone in the process, under the advisement that the action is necessary for the “greater good.”
Delving into this underlying terrain is a journey that unlocks the essence of innovation, revealing the core of creativity’s DNA. Exploring these roots isn’t merely an intellectual pursuit; it’s a profound excavation into the origins, inspirations, and processes that give rise to our most primal ideas.
In the final chapter of “Steal Like an Artist,” by Austin Kleon, there is arguably the most important step for getting to the root of an idea.
An excerpt of chapter 10 reads as follows:
“The right constraints can lead to your very best work. My favorite example? Dr. Seuss ‘The Cat in the Hat’ with only 236 different words, so his editor bet him he couldn’t write a book with only 50 different words. Dr. Seuss came back and won the bet with ‘Green Eggs and Ham,’ one of the bestselling children’s books of all time.”
In a separate paragraph, Kleon says; “In this age of information abundance and overload, those who get ahead will be the folks who figure out what to leave out, so they can concentrate on what’s really important to them. Nothing is more paralyzing than the idea of limitless possibilities. The idea that can do anything is absolutely terrifying”
Therefore, the issue is whether cutting back layers of the idea gets to the root and does the idea takes different shapes if we examine it from a more bare version and not the version presented. This claim could reshape the way we look at ideas and those that are presented to us. Everything from what to cook for dinner, to laws we think would be good for society to follow.
According to Wikipedia: “In common usage and in philosophy, ideas are the results of thought. In philosophy, ideas can also be mental representational images of some object. Many philosophers have considered ideas to be a fundamental ontological category of being.”
Psychologically speaking, ideas are closely enmeshed in the ability to discover original ideas by making new connections between different kinds of ideas, sometimes from different domains. In the Buddhist tradition, ideas may be thought of as a thought in your stream of consciousness.
We can safely establish that an idea is a bundle of energy that comes into birth as a combination of neural connections, physical conditioning, and spikes in information in the moment. Your brain is constantly working to create ideas, protect ideas, and analyze new ones. Creativity (new ideas) can be linked to the connection of different neural pathways, combined with external influence. Many psychologists will also link the spark of new ideas to inspiration and a sense of awe and wonder. Therefore, we are often overly convinced that our ideas are the ones that should be applied at the moment. We convince ourselves that our ideas could be the best because we establish ownership of these thought formations. We will also protect where the ideas originally stemmed from. We also feel compelled to protect the solution that the idea could produce. This can lead to a closed perception of other options that might service the situation better and closer to our original intent.
As initiated, we can surmise that ideas are fluid and are only constructed in certain forms due to the level of closeness we have established with them. In other words, the more personal the idea and the outcomes are, the more we will do to protect it. This can lead to being closed off to the introduction of new ideas that slim back, change, or add to the initial idea. Sometimes, the root of our ideas is deeply linked to something we experienced or had a personal connection with. Therein, constructing a very personal bond to the possible outcome of that idea.
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We can deduce that the personal connection to an idea is deeply linked to how will protect the idea and its proposed outcome. This boxes us into a prison of our own ideas, not allowing for the change or refinement of the idea. This all culminates to show us that in any situation where new ideas are being proposed, we must first understand the full intent of the idea, the extent of the implications if the idea is acted on, and the release of everyone’s personal attachment to any specific idea component or possible outcome. The rules to follow here look like this:
a. Instead of “I have an idea…” say, “Here’s an idea.”
2. What is the full intent of the idea?
a. Why is this needed? Who/what will this help? Who/what will this hurt? What is the idea based on?
3. What do other people or groups have to say about the same or variation of the idea?
a. Look for small, seemingly inconsequential components that can either be added or that can cut to improve the purest link between the idea and the root intention.
4. Keep the conversation about the idea (either with yourself or a group) firmly planted with the root intention in mind.
a. If needed, re-establish the intention throughout the process: “Let’s remember that our intention is to…”
Let’s keep the ideas flowing and engage with new solutions and creative outcomes for our world. The way we go about it is often more important than the idea itself. If we follow this framework and keep an open mind, we are positioned to find the ideas that positively impact the greatest amount of people. Which after all, should be the root intention of all ideas.
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