From Spark to Flame: Igniting Ideas into Life

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Someone recently asked me, "Where do your ideas come from?" Oh the list of resources that poured out from there.. ??

Podcasts

Books [Currently reading HBR at 100: The Most Influential and Innovative Articles from Harvard Business Review's First Century and Out of Mind - Out of Sight ]

Articles

Billboards

Presentations

Restaurants

Personal Stories

Websites

Conversations

Museums & Galleries

Newsletters [Enjoying Watch Me Think , Brain Food Newsletter , and FoodStuff ]

Social Media

People Watching

Quotations

Song Lyrics

Travel

Speeches

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I love to collect information and archive it away. CliftonStrengths says this is common of those with the Input Strength . Those collectors of endless tidbits.

"You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information -- words, facts, books, and quotations -- or you might collect tangible objects such as butterflies, baseball cards, porcelain dolls, or sepia photographs.

Whatever you collect, you collect it because it interests you. And yours is the kind of mind that finds so many things interesting. The world is exciting precisely because of its infinite variety and complexity."

Yet there felt like a chasm between gathering information and what those ideas could be. As those ideas are just that.. Ideas. Inspiration. A curiosity. An intellectual stimulant. Pinned into a cork bored to be admired at best, lost to the flames of history at worst.

Or not. For me, one of the great joys in life is translating that flood of information into real tangible, actionable pursuits.

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How do those ideas become your own? What's the process to go from exposure to reconstructing the solution? There's something valuable about that in between time. Where we gather information from different sources, layer in our own biases and digest it all till one day that "BIG IDEA" comes to bear fruit.

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When I think back to where ideas for post topics come from, it's often in the boredom and downtime and mindless "-ing" that they bubble to the surface. These seemingly different streams of thought unexpectedly crash together. ??

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Thinking on a walk... Conversations with a friend... Washing dishes... Drawing... Writing... Making friendship bracelets... Biking along the ocean... Sleeping... Cleaning... Walking the dog... Hiking...

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Both Sara Blakely and Richard Branson, well known for their innovative ventures and entrepreneurial spirit, are longtime advocates of journaling their ideas. They've shared how jotting down ideas and ideas has been pivotal in their journey to success. Here are a few ideas I've jotted down over the years, some I've acted on, while others I let go to the universe for someone else to pick up:

• Start a service to connect RV owners looking for storage space with farmers who have dry, flat land in Germany
• With friends that enjoy a glass of wine, develop a philanthropy raising awareness for American Heart Association by walking in parade events
• Create a garden beautification service to improve the local downtown area while also generating income through landscaping personal properties
• Develop a bookstore / wine bar / coffee shop to bring together local creators and create a third place for the community
• Write a cookbook with family heirloom recipes to share handwritten memories for generations to come
• Start a food vlog, showcasing healthy food recipes that are accessible for the everyday cook
• Gather quotes and stories from friends and family to celebrate a milestone birthday
• Channel ideas and reflections in to a LinkedIn newsletter ??

Where do your ideas come from? The journey from initial spark to a roaring flame is unique to each of us. Building awareness of how others take in information helps us adapt our style and open our mind to the possibilities. Share what gives you inspiration or a recent idea you've been considering ????

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