Picture used with permission
of David Singer

We’ve talked about “generating ideas” in our 12-step program, but where do these elusive ideas come from? You want more visibility for your Web site, for example, but how can you come up with an idea to get that needed visibility. In other words, you know the end result of what you’re looking for, but you don’t know how to arrive at that result.

Common problem.

It’s also a common problem not to be able to generate ideas easily. That’s why I’ve created this 12-Step Creativity Program. Most of us need a little boost in that area.

Generally, once you have ONE idea, it’s easy to expand on the idea, tweak it, or come up with two ideas. But coming up with the initial idea is sometimes the hardest part.

Here’s my secret. Be more aware of the world around you.

Ideas come from everywhere, but you have to watch for them in the smallest of places. You have to be observant, and not just about your work.

Let me tell you another story, and let me tell you how one simple experience spurred an abundance of ideas in me.

My husband and I were in a restaurant one night. Two men came in to eat, and they were placed in our section. The restaurant is arranged so that there is a central aisle between the bar and the eating area, and the aisle takes you to the restrooms. There are several sections to the restaurant, and each section opens up to the aisle.

One of the men got up to go to the restroom, and he walked extremely slowly, which is why we noticed him. On his way back to his table, he walked very slowly past the entry way to our section. He just kept on walking very slowly. He was watching his table, but he missed the entry way. After he’d walked about 10′, he stopped, hesitated, and turned back around to the entry way and found his table.

My first thought was, bless his heart.

After that, I kept thinking about him and the whole situation. The restaurant was a maze to him, and he had problems manipulating the maze. Then I started thinking about how each city is a maze, each state, each country, and even each office or home. The world is a maze.

Then I started thinking about Web sites. With me, EVERYTHING goes back to Web sites. Web sites are mazes.

Think about it. When someone enters your Web site, they’re entering a maze. How you’ve laid out the maze determines whether or not your potential customers can FIND what you’re selling, much less buy what you’re selling.

Remember that they can enter the maze at any point. There isn’t any starting point, and there may be several ending points that are okay with you. You don’t know where they’re going to enter your site (on the “about us” page, a content page, or an article), and they may leave after signing up for your newsletter, after reading an article (but they’re just getting to know you, so you haven’t struck out yet), or after clicking the “enter credit card information/click to buy” button.

What you don’t want is for them to reach any dead ends with no place to go. You know how mazes have dead ends? Same thing on a Web site.

Here is a maze I created for a speech I gave. You’ll more easily see what I mean when you look at an actual maze. (When I gave the speech, I didn’t tell the story behind the maze, so you’re the first folks to know the story behind the idea.)

Anyway, this maze idea could also be used to demonstrate where troubled teens and adults might be if they’re messed up on drugs and alcohol. Open up all additional windows into the maze but they all reach dead ends. Their life is going no where due to the drugs and alcohol.

The maze could be used to demonstrate so many things.

And the idea all started from a man in a restaurant who couldn’t find his way back to his table.

Are you observant? Do you watch people? Do you notice your surroundings? Do you listen to what people say? It doesn’t have to be related to your business, but can you apply it to your business?

Today’s Assignment:

Today, try to be more observant and cognizant of your surroundings and the people you’re in contact with. The cleaning lady in your office may make a very profound statement that will trigger an idea, so don’t discount anything. Pay attention.

I’ve learned so much from taxi cab drivers and bartenders. (Tells you where I spend MY time, doesn’t it?) They’re fascinating people.

I have a lot more to share on “where ideas come from,” so talk to me on this one!

Robin

Thank you to David Singer who took so many of the gorgeous photographs I’ve used on this site (including the one I’ve used today).