Some days feel full of ideas.
Others feel empty.
Uninspired.
So, how can we kick start our idea machine? Here are 10 ideas.
10 Ideas to Kick Start Ideas
Change Inputs: Inspiration in = ideas out. Read, watch, or listen to something completely different from our normal selections. Maybe a children’s book, a science podcast, or an art documentary.
Play with Constraints: Creativity loves a challenge. Set a timer, a word count limit, or a weird rule (like using only questions). You’d be amazed how fast your brain starts firing.
Free Write or Brain Dump: Get out of your head and onto the page. Write nonstop for 10 minutes. Don’t worry about quality. Follow the flow and see what bubbles up.
Ask Weird “What Ifs”: Imagination thrives on absurdity. What if your brand were a breakfast cereal? What if your career had a theme song? These prompts open new creative pathways.
Collect & Curate: Your past work is a goldmine. Scroll your photos, blog drafts, presentations, or notes app ramblings. Something unfinished or forgotten might be the spark.
Change Locations: Shift your scenery, shift your perspective. Move to a new spot, sit in a different chair, or take your notebook to a coffee shop or park.
Zoom In on a Micro-Detail: Big ideas often live in small observations. Take one tiny thing, like a quote, a headline, or a design element and expand on it. What’s behind it? What’s beyond it?
Go Time Travel: Visit your past or imagine your future. What advice would 10-years-ago you need? What would future-you be creating right now? Ideas love perspective shifts.
Phone a Friend: Conversations spark ideas faster than thinking alone. Talk through an idea or just catch up. A single comment might unlock the thing you didn’t know you were looking for.
Get Bored on Purpose: Inspiration hides in silence. Ditch the phone. Do a chore. Sit on the porch. Let your brain wander. With time, it will land on something interesting.
Your Turn
What do you do when inspiration is eluding you?
Which 2-3 ideas above resonate with you?
Is there something you’ve been avoiding because you lack inspiration?
Can you try one of these today to get ideas flowing?