Great Ideas Made Easy

Ask anyone who has to think up ideas for a living and he or she will agree that good ideas often evolve out of bad ideas. Perfectionists in particular must relax their standards and recognize that brilliant ideas often begin life as far-from-perfect thoughts.

After getting an idea-generation session under way, I force myself to be a little silly, to conjure up outlandish ideas that could never, ever, possibly work. Because sometimes (no, make that oftentimes) the crazy thought will spur a practical one.

Here a little exercise that will get you going in the right direction. Try to think up 15 uncommon uses for a

Start with five practical uses: (e.g., calendar, schedule, etc.) 1. _________________________ 2. ______________________ 3. __________________________ 4. __________________________ 5.______________________________

Then move on to list five over-the-rainbow ideas: (e.g., framed and hung in an art museum, an insert in a famous restaurant menu, posted on post office bulletin boards, etc.)

6. ___________________________ 7. ____________________________ 8. __________________________ 9. ____________________________ 10. ____________________________

After you've pushed your mind to silly extremes, return quickly to more practical concepts for your last five ideas.

11. _________________________________ 12. __________________________________ 13. __________________________________ 14. _________________________________ 15. ___________________________________

You may find that the "last five" are the bestÑideas now equipped with a little pizzazz.

ÑParaphrased and excerpted from If Only Takes One:

How of Create the Right IdeaÑAnd Then Make if Happen (Simon & Schuster), by John Emmerling

Page Design and Layout by Grace E Johnson, DIM