The Party Planning was going nowhere.
In sheer exasperation the hostess yelled: "I don't need your help, your money, or your advice. Just give me an IDEA!!" Smiling, you handed her your Birthday Idea Generator. The tears of joy were instant. A Birthday Idea Generator...what an idea.
An idea on its own will not guarantee you a cool birthday. We find people simply think that the idea will solve all their headaches. Or that the idea comes with a how to manual, unlimited budget and an army of workers at your command! Some do, it's true. They usually cost a bomb and take months to get together. Is that you? Read on it will be of use. If it's not you, then READ ON WITH EXTREME INTEREST.
"Where did you get that idea from'"
It's a great question! The answer is equally great, maybe a touch cheeky. I farm them. Huh? Seriously. And by the time you have read this article you will be farming as well. Got your plough ready? Giddy-up! In no order I think the following 10 methods of Farming Ideas work the best. I do this every week, so that when it's time I'm ready. Create an Idea Finder This could be a ring folder, a journal, a blog or a brain dump page on a web site. The more 3D it is I find the better it is to show others and scratch additional info on. You can scribble, glue cut-outs, sketch, alter ads in papers, play with words, brainstorm gift ideas...and on and on. Whatever you need to help you remember that spark!. My favorite way is to have an artists sketch book 120pages, thick paper, spiral bound, $5. Every thought, idea, cartoon, concept, whatever!, goes in it. I'll chew threw about 6 per year! Personalize it and make it part of your daily life.
Magazines They are everywhere and the pages are full of ads or content done -- usually -- by professionals who get paid huge money to do this. Surf off their creativity and ability to put their ideas in graphic or text. Think about when you are killing time at the doctors waiting for an appointment, or at the mall in the food court. Down time is a goldmine!
Junk Mail. Yep, you heard me correctly. Before it gets binned, scan it, consider it and file it. Total time: a minute or two tops! And you'll get faster as your birthday idea generator brain recognizes what's valuable.
Look in the mirror! How easy. Right there in your bathroom. You are full of experiences. Look at you and look around you. Your hopes, dreams, aspirations. You are SO MUCH MORE THAN WHAT LOOKS BACK AT YOU IN THE MIRROR. Visits your internal world for priceless ideas.
Movies, Books, TV, Anything.. Imagine this.. the re-creation of a scene from a Jeffery Archer (UK) novel : two champion snooker players play-off for a $50,000 dollar prize necklace. True Story from 1988. A very posh party in the south of England -- I got to see the jeweler's invoice while working as an accounts clerk. I was captivated. Hit Blockbuster and let your idea brain off the leash!! Talk about kids in a candy store.
OPP That's Other Peoples Parties. One you get invites to and ones you don't. Great to go to public places and see what happens, especially during a weekend. Suss out the food, lay out, cakes, the things that work and don't work.
Internet BE AWARE!!! Yes, somewhat down the list and a fabulous resource. BUT, BUT, BUT it can OVERWHELM, confuse and waste your time. Treat it with a firm stick, you be the master and set some guidelines around time and what you're searching on. Search engines are very specific these days, you be as well.
People Watching Just being in society means we interact with people. Watch out for what they say, how they are with each other and what they seem to enjoy. You can gather a whole lot of ideas that relate to you and your friends or family by watching other peoples' friends and families.
Ask heaps of questions A general fact finding tip. Ask discretely and then LISTEN attentively. Develop a genuine interest and ask with openness. You will be amazed at what people will tell you.
Music In a class of it own. Songs are merely representation of peoples thoughts and feelings. In short, ideas in musical form. What a great place to start mining for ideas -- YOUR MP3 Player!! You have your own birthday idea generator around your neck!
I've got an Idea, now what? By going back to your hard copy birthday idea generator and adding a few notes you then turn them into valuable commodities. Answer the following questions as part of your notes is a good start:
What is the idea?
When could I use it?
Who would I need to help with it?
Why this idea?
The bonus in it for you is that you do it as you go through your life. Short, sharp and over time it builds to a valuable resource of celebration planning ingredients.
No more: "I don't have any ideas..." You're overflowing with them! And like seeds in the ground, ideas grow, flower and make more ideas. Here's a bigger BONUS in it for you. As you've gathered your ideas, the bits you ad, the thoughts you jot down are all brushed with your personality. You 100%.You will be drawn to the kinds of things that you find appealing and most likely so do your friends. Sure, you are gathering other peoples art or method, but you mix them up and create you own unique, totally authentic recipe. Here is the key. Those ideas that you are drawn to...
..these ideas are the most comfortable thing to work with and the ideas that stand the greatest chance of success.
Get it '
One last TIP... A good idea farmer goes back to their field and prepares the soil, nurtures it and refines their methods. For you, read over your "ingredients" make sure you ad to them and be ready when an even better idea "pops". It will! |
