Get Ideas You Love

You have ideas and you’re not sure if they’re any good. In fact, often, you’re pretty sure they stink.

How can you get to those GREAT IDEAS that other people seem to be working on? Where do you find ideas you love? If you have this problem, you are different from some creators who think all their ideas are goldmines, and their only problem is how to choose one idea and stick with it. And you might even judge those writers who are naïve enough to think all their ideas are diamonds.

You’re critical, at least. Right? I mean, life isn’t all sunshine and roses.

So, you hold on to your judgement… bec it distinguishes you and you value it. And your judgement and criticism are ABSOLUTELY valuable. It is just a matter of timing. When an idea is new, do not judge it. Welcome it. Write it down. Play with it.

New ideas are fragile. They can very quickly evaporate, or morph into something less interesting, less original.

Ideas might feel dangerous. What if I tried that and fell flat on my face?

And scary, I’ll never pull that off. 

And to protect yourself, you might judge the idea harshly. It feels better than judging your writing skills harshly. So, you have a new idea, and you’re already thinking something that seems, perhaps, benign: Is this any good? That doesn’t seem harsh… it can even feel prudent, objective, smart.

That slight challenge to your idea – Is this any good? – can be enough to chase away an interesting, juicy idea.

I know, I know, but you’re a respected critical thinker! Good. We’ll need your judgement once we’re writing and editing. But for now, hold your judgement back and just play.

Ask instead: How might this idea work?

Stop reading here for a moment and think of an idea you’ve had recently – whether it’s a writing idea or something simple, like where to have a nice dinner. Ask yourself these two questions about any idea you’ve been toying with:

  1. Is this any good?
  2. How might this idea work?

If you pay attention, as you ask each question, you can feel the difference in how your brain, and body respond.

  • The first question downshifts your brain. Your locus of thinking goes from your higher thinking center to your lower, more fearful, anxious, emotional thinking centers. You might feel tense. Frustrated.
  • The second question upshifts your brain. Your locus of thinking goes from your lower brain centers of fear and anxiety to your higher thinking. Your brain is already seeking solutions. You might feel light, engaged.

This simple question How might this idea work? comes from the family of thoughts I call Mighty Thinking. You can read more about it here.

Hopefully, I’ve rescued a few ideas today, and they are thriving in the excited brains of the most important people in my universe – writers.

If you like this idea – or know someone who needs to hear it, get the Mighty Little Book version, and send them the printable!