How to get the most out of your ideas

Apr 7, 2015 | Better Writing

I bet you have ideas all the time. That’s what human beings do, naturally. The problem isn’t getting ideas, it’s getting the most from the ideas you get.

Capture those ideas

Ideas pop into your head all the time, but they vaporize just as fast. Use an idea capture tool like a pocket notebook, index cards, or a digital voice recorder to grab your ideas before they disappear.

Don’t judge, just capture

It’s impossible to know in advance which ideas will turn out to be great. It’s impossible to know which ideas are the last piece to complete that puzzle you’ve been working on. Don’t try to judge your ideas, just capture them so you can do something with them later.

Review your catch

Page though that notebook. Flip through your index cards. Transcribe your voice notes.

Most of the time you’ll spot ideas you want to work on. You’ll notice connections between ideas. Play with your ideas to see how they morph and develop.

Develop a process to put your ideas to use

Develop a regular process to turn your ideas into something. “Something” might be a blog post or an article or a funding proposal or a marketing campaign. Once you’ve learned how you develop ideas the process will become routine.

Bottom Line

Master the steps you need to turn your ideas into something good.