The other day, I was talking to an acquaintance of mine about art. They totally floored me by showing me some recent pieces they'd finished and sharing all the projects and ideas they'd thought up. The excitement they were exuding was almost tangible. I was jealous! I've been in such a lull and unable to think up fresh ideas in so long.
Once in a while you may find yourself running into a creative roadblock. Here some of the things I do to get myself back on track.
1. Brainstorm anything and everything - It's not always about having the ONE GREAT IDEA. Statistically speaking, the chance that you will suddenly dream up the ONE GREAT IDEA is pretty slim. Sit down and try making a list or doodling every idea that pops into your mind. The more you get down on paper, the better the chances for great ideas that you can act on.
2. Look for inspiration in everything - You need to be open to new ideas, even from places that you least expect it. Awareness is key!
3. Utilize image websites - If you've never heard of Pinterest, you should check it out. It's just one of several social image sharing sites that can help spark some great ideas. DeviantArt, Flickr, and Photobucket are some other popular ones. Just be careful to not steal someone else's ideas! There's a fine line between being influenced by someone and copying their work.
4. Stumble! - StumbleUpon isn't just an awesome time waster. If you configure it to allow a wide range of content, you will be pleasantly surprised to find great stuff that you'd otherwise have never known about.
5. See amazing ideas in action - One of my favorite things to do when I am feeling a lack of inspiration is to see new ideas in action. What better way to do this besides watching some TED talks? You're guaranteed to find something that interests you because there are so many ideas that cover such a wide range of topics. YouTube can also be a great place to find neat ideas, too.
What are some things YOU do to inspire greatness?
