Where do good ideas come from?

Remember the last time you came up with a really good idea? The moment it dropped into your mind. The first person you told. The sweet feeling of accomplishment.

It almost makes you forget all the times you tried and failed.

In fact, when you try too hard you trade your creative, expansive brain for your narrow, focused brain which delays the process even further.

That’s why our best ideas often drop into view when we’re not trying at all – in the middle of the night, in the shower, on a walk, etc.

Is that how it happens? Lightning strikes, light bulb goes off, epiphany lands?

And are some people just good at good ideas and some not?

I think yes and no to both questions. Some people may be naturally predisposed to ideating/innovating and problem solving, and some ideas appear to come from nowhere – and it’s also a skill we can learn.

And in a world of unlimited information and growing complexity, we could argue we need everyone tapping into this skill on the regular.

The book The Innovator’s DNA says we can all tap into our inner innovator by adopting these 5 skill sets:

1. Associating: Connecting seemingly unrelated questions, problems, or ideas from different fields.
2. Questioning: Challenging the status quo by asking probing questions that lead to new insights.
3. Observing: Carefully watching the world around you, including customers, suppliers, and competitors, to identify new ways of doing things.
4. Experimenting: Actively trying out new experiences and ideas, both personally and professionally
5. Networking: Cultivating a diverse network of individuals with different perspectives and backgrounds.

You see…we can all be Don Draper after all - cue camera close up, pensive gaze and brilliant thought.