Idea quotas foster creativity
In Ideaflow, Utley and Klebahn suggest that consistent implementation of an “idea quota” process unlocks innovation and creativity.
Every morning from now on, you will write down ten ideas. …The quality of these ideas isn’t the point. Contrary to what you might believe, you can’t judge the merit of an idea while it’s still inside your head. Idea validation is as crucial to the creative process as idea generation. But that happens later. For now, our aim is just to freshen up stale thinking.
Performing an Idea Quota is a simple, three-S process:
- Seed. Select a problem and study it.
- Sleep. Let the unconscious mind process the problem.
- Solve. Flood the problem with ideas.
Over time, the Idea Quota will develop your capacity to release new ideas on demand. Practiced diligently, it will undo your counterproductive conditioning against novelty and train you to relax the inhibitive part of your brain on cue.
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