Generating ideas

An elegantly dressed woman and man applying chocolate ganache lipstick while looking into a large fancy mirror in an elegant drawing room. — Chocolate Kiss Readings for Atlanta Style Weddings

or where to start your creative journey

Doing things

First of all, the most important thing to know about creating is that it happens when you DO things. Generating ideas happens when you make ideas happen.

Read a thousand books on creativity, go to presentations, take classes, watch what other people are doing, but you need to do things.

Take a good look at one thing you want to work better. Maybe you just want it to be more pleasant, or take less time. Then try to come up with ways to make it more difficult!

When you make things harder, you might stumble on some really important features, shortcuts, or find ways to refine what you are trying to achieve.

Tips for making stuff

Here are a couple of my favorite tips for making stuff:

When you’re writing, write. Don’t start editing, erasing, or Changing things until you either believe you’re done writing, or you have a looming deadline locking eyes with you and not blinking.

Chunking

Chunk it out. A big project can be overwhelming. By breaking it down into small actions, you’re more likely to stick with it and catch a second or fortieth wind to keep it going.

Breaking it up

One of my favorite hacks is to do something physical in between. If not physical, then something ridiculous, if not ridiculous, then something irreverent or sweet.

Physical, for me, can be a swim, walk, bike ride, or a sweaty moment of dancing to live music.
Ridiculous, IMHO, is ironing something not needed immediately, refolding clothes, unraveling and rewinding spools of thread and bobbins.
Something useful is cleaning up files, updating workflows, cooking a meal.
Kindnesses—checking in with people who might be hurt, lonely, or scared—a call, a letter, an email, visit, or a meal.

Clutter and Me

Clutter is your friend. No. I take that back. Clutter is my friend, but we don’t always get along. Until you find yourself being walled in (limited) by it. Sometimes cleanliness IS next to Godliness, but here is one of the wisest sayings ever shared with me: “An overly clean (house/office/workspace) is the sign of a wasted life.”

The same goes for cooking, glueing, cutting, painting, drafting, or sewing. There will likely be a beginning inspo moment (which is kinda like falling in love), followed by the hum of “feel like doin’ it!,” but THEN comes the “Oh sh*t, I have a million other things I need to do right now, so I am going to a) put this away; b) leave it in the middle of the work space; c) push it over to the side for a few minutes.” Work through that. You know you. You know how.

An example

Here is an example of a small, side project currently simmering away:

We use ‘Lip Kits’ for Lip Print Analysis. The Kits have the tools in them, or with them to use for the activation. From the moment we started doing them, there has been one iteration after the other of what they look like, what they do, what they don’t do, and even what they absolutely cannot be or do!

Where I started

I started out with function. Here are all of these odd bits and pieces we use for interactions with clients—what do they need? But what don’t they need? Is there something they want? Something they don’t want?

Looking at what they want makes me ask why they want it. Is it practical, helpful, beautiful, necessary, fun, or inspiring? What are the time/dollar costs involved? What are the drawbacks?

The ‘Why’

A Lip Kit can be be a focal point. But it has to be appealing.

Is it visual, audial, kinesthetic, fragrant, aromatic, or tastable?
How easy or hard is it to use?
What is the feeling it projects?
Is it easy to keep in good repair?
How do we transport it?
Does it require special packaging or protection?
How much space does it need?
Does it require more people or equipment because of its weight?
What events and themes need it?

That leads to another question: where do attendees put their trash? I’ve come up with lots of solutions, but the bottom line is, does the container serve the event AND its purpose?

Then:

How much does it weigh?
How do we securely pack it for load in and load out?
Does it take up too much space?
How do we keep it clean?

All of these questions (and so many more!) create ideas. But then you have to test, prune, frame, test again, throw it out, redo it–over and over again. Because it can always be better.

Goofs

Don’t do what I did. Don’t invite friends over for dinner using recipes and ingredients you’ve never cooked with before!

What I’m working on

The enemy of organization is when you say, “Oh just put it anywhere.”

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Is it Specific? Measurable? Achievable? Relevant? Time-bound?

Creativity = Muscles

Creativity is a muscle. The more you use it, the more jacked you get. You will never be bored. You can play the most astonishing and rewarding games in life. And guess what? You always win.

Generating ideas