Want fresh ideas? Look in your waste paper basket first

I was in a client workshop last year. When we re-assembled after lunch my client showed a short clip of a nice cat. The cat was cute. Just as we watched and wondered what it was going to do, the cat began to dose off and its head drooped!

And the client said "Well, our cameras are catching live shots of the audience and we will get to see who is giving company to the cat.” I thought that was really neat. Every one wanted a copy of the clip from him. There were many who wanted to know where he got the clip from. Some wanted to know how he linked the idea to the post-lunch-dosing-syndrome!

This is often the reaction when you share a good idea. People want to know: Where did you get this idea from? Some want to know how?

Inherent in the question ‘from where did you get the idea?’ is the assumption that there is some place where there are millions of ready to use ideas and you can just go and pick up what you want. Unfortunately it is not so.

What is true however is that there are millions of things - words, anecdotes, images, etc stored in your mind. You just have to try connecting what you know to the issue on hand. There is another way too. You can start looking around you for inspiration. A connection might just occur between what you see, what is stored in your mind and the issue you have on hand.

Where do you look, is the question.

1. Try the internet. That’s a great source today. Put a search string using the key words from your issue. Some times you can type a full question. I am amazed at the kind of material I get.

2. Try Amazon.com. I find going through book titles is very inspiring. I often read the contents page and some text from the book, if it is available. Otherwise I read reviews by other readers. This opens up my mind.

3. I talk to a few friends, my daughter and my wife. I pose the issue in a generic way and I often get very useful practical ideas. Most importantly I get insights which are true gems.

4. I browse through biographies of inventors, scientists, artists, politicians and great business leaders. Great source of inspiration.

I can keep adding to the list, but that is not the point. What is important is to have your own access points which simply says ‘when you are looking for ideas, try me’. Each person must put together what works for him or her. What works for me may not work for you.

Please recognise though, that most ideas hang around under your own nose or behind your ears. Places that we obviously overlook! So look at ideas that you might have thought of, ideas that were suggested by others - things that you summarily rejected. Reason: Childish, foolish, stupid, risky, outrageous, expensive, etc. In short look in your waste paper basket first.

Why the waste paper basket? Because that is where you will find all your rejected ideas. People reject ideas because they ‘think’ the ideas are childish, foolish, impractical and so on. There will be many ideas lying there that could be new and because they are new might scare you! Those are possibly fresh ideas that could be developed well. That is why the waste paper basket is a good source for fresh ideas.

While you are at it you can also ask people for ideas from their waste paper basket. They will happily give them to you. If you want more insights, ask them why they rejected them. Their reasons will give you what you will be up against if you have to make the idea work. A great way to get fresh ideas with some home work too!