Have you ever wondered how ideas arise?
Ideas are the basis for success.
Without an idea at all, you will struggle to succeed!
In this article I'll look at how ideas arise and how we can benefit from the knowledge of where ideas come from!
Before reading the rest of the article, try to answer the question: ‘When will you up with new ideas?»
Where do ideas actually appear?
I Swedish Radio Summer Open (MP3, after approx. 38 minutes) tells one of Sweden’s most famous inventors; Håkan Lans, whether a study was discussed in the academic journal IVA Current (number 3, 2009, unfortunately not available online...).
Researchers have asked a large number of people the question:
Where do ideas actually appear?
Here are the answers the researchers received from the academic study:
1. In nature (28%)
When you walk in nature and are in complete harmony. Then you're free to think. And then most of the new ideas come up. Actually whole 28% of ideas arise when you are out in natureSo let's say that this is the same thing as that. If you want to come up with more ideas, why don't you spend more time out in nature?
2. Home at meals, while watching TV or using a hobby (14%)
Maybe it's like when you sit down and you eat that the ideas appear. Perhaps you should take more time to eat? Expand meals and make sure you enjoy a good time? 14% of ideas arise at mealtime!
Three. Holidays (13%)
When you get away from the daily stress, the thoughts fly in all directions. You get new impulses and 13% of ideas arise. Perhaps companies that want creativity should give employees more vacation?
4. Job travel or to/from job (11%)
When you're on business, you get to have time for business. You are at work, but not in the usual job situation. The same really applies when you go to/from work. You prepare for a normal day at work. Then 11% of the ideas come.
5. In boring meetings (10%)
When you sit in a long, boring meeting, the mind is flying to quite other places. Then there's 10% of the ideas. Maybe it's a good idea to have boring meetings? If you have to come up with ideas at work, the chances are to spend a lot of time in boring meetings. In that case, I regret all the tips on how to hold more effective meetings.
6. In clubs, associations or in sports activities (9%)
When you're doing sports, in association meetings or in social teams, the ideas are bubbled up on the surface.
Seven. In interesting meetings (6%)
In interesting meetings, you don't have time to think about other things. And yet 6% of the ideas appear in interesting meetings.
Eight. At work (4%)
Only 4% of ideas arise when you are at work. This is a think-wake for companies focusing on innovation and innovation. Perhaps these companies should rather encourage employees to spend more time in nature? Perhaps companies should facilitate the work of employees in the wild? Or is it a contradiction? Maybe you should say goodbye to the office- What?
Nine. By creative techniques(1%)
Have you ever been to a brainstorming meeting where the goal is to come up with new ideas? I've been to many and I thought many of them have been good. When research suggests that only 1% of ideas come using "creativity techniques", may not such techniques be what one should prioritize if one wants to come up with new ideas?
Ideas do not come from work!
According to the study 76% of ideas arise outside the workplace- What? It's a thinker — especially for companies living by being creative!
It may seem as ideas arise when you have time to get past! Ideas exist only! It's a little bit like walking on the beach and kicking rocks. Suddenly, an idea comes up behind a rock you kicked away.
If ideas arise when you are not at work, should companies perhaps give employees more freedom? Or should you perhaps facilitate the time spent on the employee while at work?
I think it's hard to create an atmosphere of idea creation. 3M has become known for its innovation culture for many years. Google is trying to make a point 20% Time, Atlassian succeeds with its Shipit daysSo let's say that this is the same thing as that.
But is it really possible to plan for people to come up with ideas?
Norway and Sweden are high on the ranking of countries that are good at coming up with ideas. Is it because we have a lot of nice nature and a lot of holidays?
I think the recipe for Ideas can be the following:
- Lookup situations where there is the greatest chance of ideas occurring (ref. this blog entry)
- Rely on extreme knowledge of different themes (then you will be better at identifying what is good and bad)
- Share knowledge (returning)
- Ask questions that start with: "What happens if we...."
- Move in cross-border points of life in general and at work (see other industries and other cultures)
- Do not be busy with money (ref. study on success from Ted)
- ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (an idea that is not implemented means very little. In fact, almost every successful company in recent years is based on an unoriginal idea that has been well implemented.)
- Experiments with artificial intelligence- What?
Sources:
- The idea of this post came from my dear partner, Dr Emma Sellen
- Main inspiration for this blog entry (MP3 with inventor Håkan Lans in Swedish radio)
- Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Originator of the Idea research – no link found)
- Getting up ideas is easy, implementation is difficult (Seth Godin)
- To come up with good ideas, you can't be afraid of bad ideas. (Seth Godin)
- Fedex day months Google 20% hour
- Innovation at Atlassian
- Google 20% hour
- Seth Godin on ideas
- Ideas from Thomas Edison (37Signals)