Week One (B)

Ways to Get Ideas


14 Ways to get Breakthrough Ideas

The article linked above, written by Mitch Ditkoff, is an interesting look at innovation and creativity in the modern job market. Ditkoff begins by presenting two radically different ways of looking at innovation, which he refers to as the Western approach and the Eastern approach. He states that the Western approach, which is centered around thinking, can be equated to the quote, "I think, therefore I am." The Eastern approach, in contrast, is more similar to the quote, "I am, therefore I think."

The article presents (you guessed it) fourteen ways to conjure up new, innovative ideas. Of these fourteen ideas, I couldn't find one I fully disagreed with, so I'll explain my three favorites. I would argue that the best suggestions from the article are fantasizing (number 5), taking a break (number 8), and noticing and challenging existing thoughts (number 9).


Number 5: Fantasize

While the example wasn't my favorite, I might agree with this point most of all. The idea behind this suggestion is that if someone wants a fantastic idea, they have to remember to fantasize. When we're kids, imagining and fantasizing is second nature to us. As we grow up, though, we're taught to withhold our minds inside the realm of reality, forgetting the possibility that things could exist beyond what we already know. To truly innovate, one must put aside the restraints of reality. If no one had fantasized, we wouldn't have electricity, water pipes, culture or anything else man-made. 

Some of the music I've written that I'm most proud of came from ignoring what I know about music and simply fantasizing. Another example could be my playercard on Call of Duty: Black Ops, which is a space-dragon with a jetpack and chainsaw, which is nowhere near possible (or is it?).

I believe fantasizing also contributes a sense of uniqueness to any idea or creation. Everyone fantasizes differently, and simply going by what is already existent will produce something everyone already knows.


Number 8: Take a Break

I especially agree with this point, though the first paragraph seems like it would be more fitting for a different point, possibly for one talking about creativity in general.

The point features a great example, though. I wouldn't personally consider digging a hole to be a "break", but the idea of focusing your mind on something entirely different for some time to reinvigorate your creativity on a project is very true from personal experience.

For example, I got stuck after writing the first sentence for this point, so I went outside and smoked a cigarette. When I got back, I knew exactly what I wanted to write (but don't smoke, it's bad. Just eat some celery or something).


Number 9: Notice and Challenge Existing Patterns and Trends

This suggestion was well-conceived and, for me, is tied with fantasizing when considering importance. As I said with the fantasizing suggestion, rehashing what people have already experienced is much less meaningful than creating or thinking up something that contrasts what they already know. Besides, if no one had challenged existing views, we would still be living on a flat, geocentric planet worshiping golden cow statues (alright, maybe I made that last part up).

I especially enjoyed the quotes Ditkoff chose to use with this suggestion. "The act of creation is first of all an act of destruction," stated by Picasso, resonates with me the most. To truly come up with something new, something else must be destroyed, or at least outdated. The invention of paper put stone tablet-carvers out of business (those might not have existed, but it's the point that counts)

One of my main goals whenever performing a creative task is to think of things in new, different ways. Doing so helps assure that my work will be memorable and innovative.


Prompt: What can you do this week to suspend practicality, logic and rationality in service to birthing your big idea?

To help birth my big idea, I could suspend logic in several different ways. I could start by thinking from a completely different perspective. For example, I could imagine the idea from the brain of a mouse and see possibilities that the brain of a human wouldn't pick up on. I could continue by drawing inspiration from things that might seem unrelated to my idea. What if I made a vehicle that was influenced by a cheetah?


In conclusion, this was a very thought-provoking look at creativity in the modern job market. While some of the examples were weaker than others, I agreed with all of the suggestions presented.