Where Do Good Ideas Come From? (Video)

Where do good ideas come from?

Have you ever suddenly remembered a really interesting idea you once had, one you never developed because life got in the way, and now you can only vaguely recall it (if at all)?

Every new idea has an incubation period. Sometimes what starts as a vague notion turns out to matter a great deal for the rest of your life.

Unfortunately, some of these fuzzy ideas never come into focus, probably because the right circumstances never come along. That’s why you should write down every idea that has even the slightest chance of success. You never know when the time will be right for a rough idea to bloom and show itself in all its glory.

But a new idea doesn’t strike like a bolt from the blue. It’s more of a process, and it needs the right conditions (time, place, attitude, even mood) to take shape and grow. So what are those conditions? The solitude of nature, or a quiet office where all you hear is your own thoughts? A noisy café where you catch up with friends in the evening? Or maybe the office coffee machine, where you joke with colleagues and trade ideas on a break?

No idea is more brilliant than the mind that created itResearch shows that a new idea is usually built from our own observations, other people’s ideas and so on, which the brain combines in a new way. So the best conditions for new ideas include people with different outlooks on life, people who hold different (sometimes even opposing) opinions, who argue, and who rally around a particular idea or concept.

The key here is communication. Don’t be afraid to share your ideas with other people. You may get valuable advice on a good idea or constructive criticism of a not-so-good one. Either way, you’ll broaden your thinking and gain new perspectives, because a terrible idea can become a brilliant discovery just by being seen from a different angle. Take Coca-Cola: the famous soft drink was first sold as a (not very successful) headache remedy before it became one of the most recognizable brands in the world.

Sometimes you only get part of a great idea. That’s when you need other people to talk it through with, and you may find the people who hold the missing pieces. The key to success is connecting ideas, not guarding them. Find people you trust who have proven their potential, and talk to them. Join clubs and start conversations on all kinds of topics. Your next great idea may be just around the corner!

The most important thing to know is that no idea is more brilliant than the mind that created it. So never stop learning, growing and challenging yourself. That’s the only way to build the mind that will come up with your million-dollar idea.

We tend to give all the credit to the “Eureka!” moment (ancient Greek for “I have found it!”). In his talk, Steven Johnson uses history to offer a different take on how great ideas are born. Enjoy his captivating story.