Where do creative ideas come from?

There's always that moment, when you know you've got a golden idea. Where all of your current tasks must end to focus on this idea. In your mind, you want to express this idea as quickly as possible. By any means nessecarry. 

For me, I usually get these ideas in the shower. With the rhythmic flow of water tapping my head and the ions from the water particles. Funny because it's rather hard to run from the shower to a journal or white board. So I joke sometimes that I need to invent a new method to get all those meditative ideas I get from the shower onto a physical surface without ever having to leave the tub. Until I create that, we will have to be a little less impulsive and a little more patient. 

This blog asks the question, where do creative ideas come from? I can only describe what works for me, and maybe that can help someone else in the future. 

Honestly, there is no one source for the area of which I get ideas. Personally, I have what a doctor would call "ADD" which I find is a style of thinking that is quiet advantageous for the creation of ideas if cultivated in a productive mannor. I can quiet easily improv my way out of a failing act, or find something generously humorous to say to someone. So my first response to this question would be to develop a creatively aware mindset.

What I mean by that is, to be on the lookout for thoughts that enter your mind that have some value, jokes that seem to be a hit, certain dilemmas in your life that seem like entertainment. Believe me, this doesn't come overnight. It has taken me many years to hone this ability and still I have writers block. Some days are better than others, and when they are, I start building an arsenal of creative ideas I can draw from later. By appearance, one would think I never run out of free flowing ideas, but in reality, I get writers block from time to time. Thankfully, in those situations, I have that arsenal I mentioned.

So getting that creative mindset might take a little self discipline, uh oh. The instant I have an idea, I must write it down. If not, it will always just be an idea. It will never enter the physical realm. It will never be a form of expression for myself. At all times, I keep a mini spiral near me. It's a small 4x4 spiral that is perfect for when an idea comes into my mind. It has taken some time to get in the habit of writing it down, but I don't regret using it ever. It is way too handy for me not to. 

When I find an idea is a little better than most, I have a white board on my wall that I write it on. This way, I must look at the idea everyday. This instigates more thoughts about this idea, and sub sequentially the development of said idea. After a few days of sleeping and maybe a dream about it. I'm ready to get an outline of that idea. This is usually in script form. Sometimes it can be a sketch, depending on the medium I want to express myself. 

One important step during this time is to test the idea with others. I bring the idea to the public and subtly feed them the thoughts I was having to generate the idea. If it starts a really in-depth conversation, that's a good sign. If it's suppose to be funny, I tell them the punchline. I keep an eye on their reactions very closely. If they laugh hysterically, it's good. If they're bored, the idea probably isn't as good as I think it is. The biggest factor in testing your ideas with the public, is try to reveal it to them much like you would in your form of self expression. This will determine how well your piece will work in the end result. I've learned over a few years of making comedy videos that, almost any idea can make your friend laugh, it takes a truly funny idea to make your enemy chuckle. So they are my best test audience. 

I always want to test the idea with a few people first, so I know they work. Then I can confidently commit to my best ideas and see that they are followed through. 

Hope this has helped someone who is trying to get some new ideas. (I didn't proof read, so bear with me)