Young woman holding light bulb in her mouth
Sitting in front of the boob tube, popcorn in hand, shouting at the screen, TAKE THE DEAL!! I knew I could come up with a million dollar idea that was so much better than those on that show with shark-like investors. I gritted my teeth and got to work creating my product which has now turned into a business valued at over 2.2 Million dollars.
Many people want to come up with the next million dollars hit idea, design product, start a business, & make the world a better place, but they don’t know where to start. I’m going to tell you exactly how to come up with amazing ideas that will give you a starting place to launch your next million dollar business! It may seem hard, or impossible, but you have a spark inside you to bring Genius ideas to the world and I am going to help you ignite your spark.
We are going to work together to loosen up the genius that is locked away in your brain, your soul, your sock drawer, where ever you hide it. There are no right or wrong answers, just write the first things that come to your mind, give yourself permission to just let those ideas pour out! So grab a pen, a cup of tea and let’s get going!
Ideas are elusive, slippery things. Best to keep a pad of paper and a pencil at your bedside, so you can stab them during the night before they get away. Earl Nightingale
Did you grab your cup of tea? Yes, I mean it. Go get it, if you don’t drink tea, get a drink that relaxes you, a cup of warm milk, or whatever it may be. Idea creation should be done in a peaceful state, so grabbing your favorite drink helps that process. When you are relaxed your mind opens and allows the ideas to flow freely.
Find a place where you can work undisturbed, preferably in a place that inspires you. Maybe you need to travel to find your inspiration, take a day trip, or if you have extra money go somewhere that takes your breath away. Idea creation starts with inspiration, so let’s cultivate that inspiration.
If you want to cultivate new ideas that are worth your pursuing, change your perspective, alter your point of view: Look at things backward, upside down, look at the details that others are missing. So broaden your horizon, look beyond your two-dimensional day today world, be still and observe. Carry a journal or small notebook with you, so if an idea comes, it’s not lost in the moment looking for something to write it down with.
Dreams often spark inspiration. I have personally woken up from dreams with ideas that I have turned into successful products. So make sure to keep another notepad and a pencil handy by your bed to write down those 3 am inspirations that come between the haze of dreams and awake.
Look for inspiration in unexpected places, talk to friends, read books, go to art galleries, your own unique experiences, they can all spark your genius.
Inspiration can hit you in the head at any time in any context. It could happen in a conversation. Talking to someone at a party, you can get an idea. But you’ve got to remember those inspirations. James Cameron
Now I want you to learn more about yourself. Write down 5–7 things about yourself.
Things that make you, well you. Your dreams your passions, whatever makes you who you are. What things make you feel like you? What makes you happy? What do you believe in, your passions, values?
Now I want you to learn more about yourself. Write down 5–7 things about yourself.
Things that make you, well you. Your dreams your passions, whatever makes you who you are. What things make you feel like you? What makes you happy? What do you believe in, your passions, values?
Now write down what your dream job would be, what you would be happy doing for the rest of your life.
What job would you hate, one that you would want never want to do even if you were paid a million dollars?
Think about things that would make you life better, easier, more enjoyable. What problems do you need solving? Write doodle, sketch them.
Steve Jobs: “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people.”
Now choose a specific area, genre, market, you want to hatch your idea in and write about it. Be specific.
What life experiences do you have that would help you make the things you don’t like easier? What would solve your problems? Hint money and time are two major things people want, so think of what could bring you more of this. For instance, if you hated folding laundry, let’s face it laundry is a major time suck, what do you need to speed the process? Write doodle, sketch your thoughts.
This next exercise you may do more than once, so feel free to print the next two pages out multiple times if needed. Sometimes an idea will not come right away, but this is a way to get those ideas flowing, to loosen up your idea generator!
Write down 50 ideas in the area you have chosen. We don’t care if they are good or bad ideas, just that they are ideas.
Now narrow take those 50 ideas and select the 10 best ideas. Write those down, expand them, nurture them a little.
Next your best three ideas. These ideas are most likely some pretty good ones, the ones that you are starting to get excited about implementing. The ideas that wow you.
Pick one, that idea that takes your breath away, that makes you jump for joy. That one idea that your feel is a spark of genius.Write doodle, sketch your thoughts.
Don’t forget your inspiration, let’s write it down, save it for the next time you want to tap into your genius.
Write down what inspired you, what place or thing made your creativity kick into overdrive.
What was your ah-ha moment?
What place did you get your idea?
What most inspired you to come up with your ideas?
It’s no longer just about-about ideas, it’s about implementing them. So don’t stop here.
Don’t let your idea die, it’s time to put your million dollar idea into action, to show the world your genius!