Mastering the Art of Ideation: Turning Fleeting Thoughts into Tangible Success

Leaving aside the possible science explaining the intricate relationship between the mysterious ways our brain operates and the role of deep sleep, some of the best thoughts indeed come at the least convenient times. A sudden eureka moment in the wee hours, with no easy way to capture the fleeting brilliant idea, becomes a logistical problem.

Instead of enjoying the evidence of your brain cells still being able to deliver quality insights, you are left with the morning-after frustration that you might have just solved a global issue, yet no one will ever know. Not even you—since you did not capture the idea.

Some creativity gurus have long advocated keeping a pen and paper next to your nightstand. In our times, that would be your smartphone filling in as a voice recorder, I guess. Though others clearly tie the lack of quality sleep to the blue light from the device you can hardly function without, so you may need to balance the trade-off here.

And what if your best ideas come when you are making your laps in the swimming pool? Or during a sweaty run in the park? How do you capture them then?

How do you avoid the dilemma of whether to continue the activity that keeps the ideas flowing or stop to capture the fleeting thoughts right away before they are gone? It’s like a story I heard once from my Italian friend about how one of their American colleagues got invited to a brainstorming session. She listened with admiration, impressed by the great ideas flying around. Then she asked a simple question: “Is anyone taking notes? So many great ideas.” Her Italian host reflected for a moment and finally responded, “No, Madam, this is probably the first and last time you will hear some of them.” Clearly, for some, creation is much more fun than record-keeping or execution.

Yet any management guru would tell you that it is not necessarily the best idea that makes it through, but the one that gets captured and then delivered in the right place at the right time. Ideation without implementation is a pipe dream, a lost opportunity.

It is good to know yourself and your limitations. Then you can do something about them. If your best ideas come when you are alone in the park, try to be alone in the park as often as you possibly can. If you need to capture those ideas before they are lost, design a plan and use the tools.

I recall my early consulting days when my boss came to me with a new assignment and a clear expectation of coming up with an original solution. I had one look at my sterile, empty desk. Then another at my colleague, who I shared the office with and with whom I would frequently negotiate to open the office window. While he wanted to keep away the street noise, I knew instantly that nothing would come to me in that stiff office unless I disappeared to the nearby Starbucks for a couple of hours. That did the trick. I was able to deliver.

We are creatures of habit. Make your habits your allies in helping to drive your creativity. Whatever it takes, know yourself and know how to make it work for you.