Since attending Adage's IDEA Conference, I've had a renewed sense of purpose for something I've always loved to do - generate ideas. At no point in my life did I ever see such value in the practice of thought and creation like I did that day. I went to college for architecture, but my true love was simply expression; art, if you will. I only chose architecture because, at the time, it seemed the most "professional" of the arts. I later tried my hand at the music business. I was a better listener than a singer, so I started engineering. Audio engineering led to voice-overs. Through it all, generating ideas has always been at the heart of what I do. "Expression" is born out of those ideas. Simply put - I'm an idea man, but not one without action. If there's a challenge, I'll figure out a way to overcome it even if it means using outside resources. So, in that sense, I'm a producer as well.
However, at some point, I lost my motivation for creating. I think it's because I started to think that its purpose was to create and sustain a business. Therefore, the primary motivating factor became money. I forgot what I had learned many years ago in architecture school - that an idea and, consequently, the design are solutions to a problem not a means to an end. Besides problem-solving, intentionally generating ideas has other benefits, as well. It re-connects you to one of humanity's greatest and most powerful gifts - imagination. And if it's true that we are all a piece of our Creator, then we are all creators as well.
The idea of "ideas" is something that has been showing up with quite some frequency lately. The recent mid-term elections are proof positive that ideas are powerful. Let's face it - there are policies and rhetoric, but we vote on the basis of ideas (both ours and those put forth by others.) That's quite a case for ideas.
Where good ideas come from is also the topic of Steven Johnson's book. And, of course, "ideas" took center stage at the IDEA Conference.
But now what? How do you begin this process of generating ideas? Do you do it alone or with others? There are arguments for both. What's most important is to understand that the idea is the beginning of a solution to a problem or challenge. I've stopped sending out postcards to producers. I've stopped handing out business cards. And I even wiped out my entire newsletter database of agents, producers, and casting directors (and started over with a 100% opt-in list. Hi, Mom!) The ideas behind those approaches to marketing no longer solve a problem, because the problem itself has changed (and will most likely continue to change.) Unless you sit down and take into account what today's challenges are, you will never gain any ground using yesterday's ideas.
I used to brainstorm on a blank sheet of paper or send myself emails whenever an idea came to mind, but recently I've started to use
Accidental Creative's Personal Idea Pad. Some people, like Steve Rubel, use
mindmaps. Others use an almost physical form of a collaborative mindmap, if you will, in the form of an
unconference. I personally like the idea of writing on paper because, to me, it's the beginning of physical manifestation. Use whatever approach feels best to you, but pick one and get started.
I've said it before,
ideas are currency; but couple that with Ernest Chu's philosophy that your
soul is currency too, and as long as you truly love generating ideas, you're building wealth (and are a step ahead of your competition.)
-Anthony
