How To Have New Ideas

A Short Course By Steve Gillman

Brought To You By

http://www.IncreaseBrainpower.com

And

http://www.999Ideas.com
 Legal Notice And Disclaimer

The author has used his best efforts to verify the information contained in
this e-book, but makes no warranties with respect to the accuracy or
applicability of the information. The author shall not be held liable for loss
or damage resulting from use or misuse of the material here. All web sites
linked to or mentioned are for informational purposes, and are not warranted
for content, accuracy, or any implied purpose.

This material is protected under International and Federal Copyright laws

and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited.

Copyright 2008, 2009, 2010 by Steve Gillman

 Introduction

Not sure that you can come up with dozens of ideas by tomorrow?

Do you think it is difficult to invent things in your mind?

Do you believe creativity can't be taught?

Do you also think that book introductions are long and boring?

Well, you're about to change your mind.

 Table Of Contents

Lesson One - Creative Concept Combining

Lesson Two - New Applications

Lesson Three - Using An Idea-Generating Word List

Lesson Four - Creativity And Innovation

Lesson Five - Creating New Products Based On True Needs

Lesson Six - Brainstorming

Lesson Seven - Concentration And Brainpower

 Lesson One

Creative Concept Combining

In this first lesson, we are going to jump right in with one of the best
techniques for creating new ideas: creative concept combination. Just start
combining ideas and things, and voila, you're having fun - and maybe
creating something new. Let's get to the examples.

Concept Combination For Fun And Profit

"Tattoo" plus "advertising" might lead to the first large tattoo placement
advertising campaign. Want a monthly stipend for having a Coke logo on
your forehead? For a ton of new business ideas, just combine the concept of
"home delivery" with almost anything. Parties, tax preparers, rental
swimming pools? Would people pay to have these things delivered?

As with any idea-generating technique, you need to be careful not to stifle

your creativity. Allow ideas to come without judging them. Critical analysis
is for later. Also remember that these techniques are tools, not rules. If your
mind goes off on a creative tangent - just let it.

Randomly combining things is a great mental exercise when you're driving

or daydreaming. A boat and a bicycle becomes a water-ski-bike that glides
across the water using pedal-power. Combining stock-trading and
McDonalds has you imagining the selling of stocks and bonds at drive
through windows.

For more specific areas of interest, look for things to combine with what
you already have. If your taxi business is struggling, combining "taxi" and
"pets" might lead to a successful arrangement with a kennel, to pick up and
deliver their client's cats and dogs. "Famous people," might give you the
idea to run some sort of tour of the town, like they do in Hollywood.
For maximum creativity in your innovation, look far and wide for concepts
to combine. "Meditation" and "amusement parks" seem too unrelated to
yield interesting combinations, but I'll bet people at a carnival would pay to
be put into a meditative trance using the latest brain wave entrainment
technologies.

Limitless New Creative Concepts

This technique is great for new product ideas, inventions and business ideas,
but it isn't limited to those areas. In fact, some of the most creative new
ideas come from combining concepts from radically different areas. Need
examples?

Church/Shopping Mall. Hmm... Four churches within one building.

Christians, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists all sharing common space after
their respective services and ceremonies. It might encourage tolerance, and
even be inviting to those who want to "test" the various faiths.

Jail/Mountains. Maybe use prison labor to maintain the trails in National

Parks?

Swimming/Alarm. Alarms for swimming pools? It sounds if a child falls in,

and is otherwise easily turned off for regular use.

Poetry/Economics. Hmm...

Okay, I stared at the screen for five minutes, and nothing came to mind. That
will happen, and when it does, you can just skip it. However, if you persist
in looking for a new idea in the combining of two concepts, you'll find one.
That is how this process works.

Your subconscious mind is powerful. Put two concepts together, assume

there is a connection that will lead to a new idea, and your subconscious
will find it.
Ideas Exercise

Write a list of twenty things and start combining them into new creative
concepts.

1. __________________________

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

4. __________________________

5. __________________________

6. __________________________

7. __________________________

8. __________________________

9. __________________________

10. _________________________

11. _________________________

12. _________________________

13. _________________________

14. _________________________

15. _________________________

16. _________________________

17. _________________________
18. _________________________

19. _________________________

20. _________________________

Combine the above concepts or things in any way, but just two at a time for
now. That still gives you 188 possible combinations, which could generate
hundreds of new ideas.
 Lesson Two

New Applications

The whole lesson? Find new applications for existing ideas. Now the
details.

I just saw a new local business advertised on TV, a company that uses a dog
to find mold in your house. Dogs can be trained to sniff out almost anything.
It reminded me of the news story a year ago, about a dog that could detect if
you had cancer.

My first thought was, "I wonder what else they could be used to find?" This
is a super technique for generating new ideas. Just find new applications for
existing ideas and inventions.

By the way, one idea that came to mind was to use dogs to find other pets.
They find humans so well, so why not a service to find lost pets? One sniff
of the cats favorite rug, and the dog is on the trail.

Finding New Applications

This is another technique, which like concept-combination, can be used in

all areas to create an endless supply of new ideas. Start with the essence of
the idea, and look for new applications. Then look at any other factors that
could be applied in new ways.

For example, let's start with the pneumatic tubes that deliver your money
and papers at bank drive-through windows. The essence is a cartridge that
delivers things through a tube using air pressure. Could the same thing work
for human transport? Ride "the tube" to the next city? Maybe as an
amusement park ride?

Another aspect of the tubes is that they allow several customers to be waited
on at once. Fast food needs that at the drive through. The tubes themselves
would spill drinks, but the idea of multiple lines can be used. Several drive-
through windows, radiating out like spokes, at different angles, would allow
three different lines of cars.

Beyond Business

In demonstrating all of these techniques, it is easy to get stuck on the

invention and business applications. These are just the easiest areas to come
up with new ideas in. That doesn't mean they don't work well in other areas
though.

I saw a story about socially withdrawn preschool children. Psychologist

Robert O'Connor made a short video with 11 scenes. Each showed a solitary
child watching other children participate in an activity. In each, the child
joined the group, and everyone was happy.

When he showed the film to severely withdrawn children at various

preschools, the children immediately began to be sociable with the other
children. Their new behavior persisted weeks later, though they saw the film
just once. Withdrawn children who didn't see the film were as withdrawn as
ever.

Amazing research. You can probably imagine applications for these

"coaching films." I'm imagining films in which criminals turn their lives
around, to be shown in prisons. If young athletes were shown films in which
it was normal to run four-minute miles, would their times would improve? I
wonder.

Ideas Exercise

Here is some practice for you, if you want to get in the habit of using this
technique.
Think of two new uses for magnets.

1. ________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________

Beyond bicycles, think of two new uses for pedal-power.

1. ________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________

If you are familiar with Darwin's theory of natural selection, find a new
application for the concept, but outside of biology.

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

We exercise our bodies, and we exercise our brains. What else can you
apply the concept of exercise to?

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Hopefully you're seeing how easy it can be to come up with new ideas. In
the next lesson I'll show you a very systematic method, using a modifying
word list.
 Lesson Three

Using An Idea-Generating Word List

Using a word list is one of the easiest ways to create new ideas.
Several times now I have seen giant chairs. The most recent one was in a
bar, being used by the host of a trivia contest. It was eight feet tall. Someone
made and sold that chair, but how did he think of the idea? The simplest
way would be to look at things and ask "what if it was bigger?"

That is the essence of the modifying word list. You look at things and ask,
"What if it was..." and insert a word from the list. To show the technique in
action, I just looked around the room and chose a table as a test subject. I
look at the word list and ask "What if it was..."

Bigger... If it had leaves that spread from a central pivot, it could be opened
up easily into a larger surface, like a hand fan opened horizontally.

Movable... The obvious idea here is to put wheels on it. Another possibility
is a line of super light tables that can be carried from room to room easily.

Cheaper... I once used an old door as a table. Are there cheap and available
materials that could be used to make doors?

Interesting... Make tables that are covered in family photos (or anything else
you want). The top would then be encased in acrylic. Easy to clean too!
Divided... Four small tables that can be used on their own or connected into
one large table?

Subtracted from... Take away the legs and it would be easier to clean under.
Could it hang from the ceiling?
Hotter... A warming tray built into the center of the table might be
convenient for keeping meals hot.

Happier... Use colors that evoke positive emotions. Make cartoon-covered

tables for day-care centers.

Take notes as you do this, and develop or discard the ideas later. Most words
won't give you useful ideas, but don't dismiss them without a few seconds of
thought. Creative solutions can begin with unrelated thoughts. "What if it
was boring?" may seem useless, but then it could lead to the development of
a line of furniture based purely on function: simple and cheap.

The Modifying Word List

The list below is a basic one. Use it as is, but remember that there are
hundreds of idea-generating words you could add to it. Any adjectives,
descriptive phrases, or words that can change your perspective can be
potentially useful.

What if it was...

larger
smaller
farther away
closer
sooner
later
easier
more difficult
softer
harder
poorer
richer
wetter
drier
higher
lower
longer
shorter
white
black
certain
uncertain
newer
older
calmer
more exciting
boring
interesting
more casual
more serious
divided
combined
subtle
extravagant
more common
less common
faster
slower
better
worse
hotter
colder
added to
subtracted from
left alone
hopeless
stickier
happier
relaxed
imaginary
cheaper
more expensive
nothing
yours
More Fun

There is another way to use a modifying-word list. This may be even more
fun. Start with the word instead of the thing or idea. Then apply the
modifying word to everything you can think of.

For example, if you start with the word "easier," you just look around at
things and ask, "What if it was easier?"

Lights... It would be easier to turn them on in the dark if they were voice-
activated.

Plants... Sell a line of plants that are almost impossible to kill, for those of
us that can't seem to keep house plants alive.

Democracy... Maybe that company that makes the "For Dummies" books
should add "Democracy For Dummies" to their line. Perhaps secure online
voting would make it easier than going to the polls.

Brainpower... Three deep breaths always works for me. I bet it would work
better if I had a small oxygen dispenser.

Ideas Exercise

For each of the following things and concepts, apply the "what if it was"
question using the words from the list above. Write down at least a couple
new ideas for each.

A Car

1. ________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________
War

1. ________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________

Your Job

1. ________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________

Part Two

Pick a word from the list, like "slower," and apply it to the following
concept and things. Jot down at least one idea for each. Use another idea-
generating word if you prefer.

What if a plane was ___________(slower)?

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

What if education was ___________(slower)?

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

What if the speed of light was ___________(slower)?

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

What if molasses was ___________(slower)?

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________
 Lesson Four

Creativity And Innovation

More creativity helps the process of innovation - so develop your creativity.

We've covered three techniques for generating new ideas so far. Hopefully
you had some fun and found them useful. It can also help to develop your
natural creativity. That is what this lesson is about. How do you become
more creative? Here is a two-step plan:

1. Encourage it.

2. Train your brain.

Work on these right now, and you'll be more creative today.

Encouraging Creativity

Encouraging creativity will make you more creative. No big surprise there.
This principle is true for many things you might want to see more of in your
life. Encouragement works, but how do you encourage creativity?

Start by paying attention to it. The subconscious mind tends to give you
more of what you pay attention to. If you ignore the creative aspects of your
life, you're telling your subconscious mind they're unimportant. Consciously
note when you're creative, and look for opportunities to be creative, and
your subconscious mind will start feeding you more creative ideas.

Writing down your ideas is another good way to encourage and increase
creativity. Keep an "idea journal." Do this regularly, and you'll start having
more ideas while you are writing. Small ideas may normally be forgotten,
but by writing them down, your subconscious may work on them, and
transform them into something very creative.

Encourage greater creativity in yourself by putting creative ideas into

practice. If you paint or write, for example, try anything new, just because
it's new. Even driving a different route to work to see if it is quicker can
help. The point is to get you mind working outside of its regular patterns.

Change your surroundings to encourage creativity. Want more creativity in

your love life? Hike up a mountain with your partner. Need story ideas? Sit
on a roof to write. For new ideas for your business, take a notebook to the
park and sit by the duck pond. Any change of environment can get your
brain out of its ruts.

Training Your Mind For Creativity

Entrepreneurs see potential profit in a situation, because their minds are

trained for that. Lawyers see potential problems, because that's how their
minds are trained. Watch any good comedian and you'll notice that she has
trained her mind to look for the "different angle" on everyday things.

The ways in which you repeatedly think become habit, and that's how you
train your mind. If you learn the techniques of creative thinking, use them
until they are a habit, then creative thinking will be as natural for you as
lying is for a politician. Start with these three habits:

1. Challenge assumptions.

What if restaurants didn't have employees? Visitors pay a machine as they

enter, feed themselves at a buffet, and everything is as automated as
possible, so one owner-operator could run a large restaurant alone.
Challenge all you assumptions for practice. Do you really have to go to
work? Do swimming pools need water? Can education be a bad thing?

2. Change your perspective.

A dog's thoughts about your busyness could clue you in to the unnecessary
things you do. Considering dollars-per-day instead of per-hour could give
you a plan to let employees go home when they finish a quota. Increased
efficiency is likely, and you could adjust daily pay and quotas so both you
and employees made more money. See everything from several perspectives.

3. Let ideas run wild.

Does flying furniture seem silly? It could lead to the concept of a hover-
lifter. Just slide the device under furniture and it lifts it with a cushion of air,
making for easy moving. Try not to stifle your creativity. Just relax, let ideas
come, and know that you can always discard them later.

For these thought-patterns to be automatic, you need to use them regularly.

It takes several weeks to develop a habit, so write a few of your favorite
techniques on a card and carry it with you. Look it over throughout the day
and apply the techniques to anything. A little work up front, and soon you'll
have almost effortless creativity.

Ideas Exercise

Think of any crazy idea right now. It should be something that would
embarrass you to say aloud, like, "What if I could go swimming with my
computer," or "How could I teach books to fly?" Then think about it for a
few minutes and write down any ideas that come to mind.

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________
Work with one of your ideas until it becomes something plausible. For
example, swimming with a computer may seem silly. Giving it some
thought, though, could lead to the idea of a small waterproof computer that
instructs a swimmer how to adjust breathing and motions for greater
efficiency. It might be a useful product.

The idea here is to prove to yourself that "silly" ideas can lead to better and
even useful ideas. It also just gets you thinking in new ways. This kind of
practice will help overcome any tendency you might have to discount your
creative ability.
 Lesson Five

Creating New Products

Based On True Needs

Identifying true needs is a great route to new product ideas.

Have you ever been frustrated with the assembly instructions for something
you bought? Or annoyed with the design of something? Good news! Every
frustration can be the source of new ideas. A service that creates clear
assembly and instruction manuals might make good money, for example.

Hey, it's fun to dream up a hundred new ideas. It's even good exercise for
the brain. Sometimes, though, that's all you get. It may be fun to imagine an
inflatable helium chair that lets you float above your home, but can you sell
it?

Starting With True Needs And Desires

Starting with common and easy-to-understand problems is the surest way to

have not just new, but useful ideas. If you and six of your friends all have a
similar complaint about something, there is a true need for a new idea there.
If you run into the same frustration several times, it's time for a solution,
right?

For good ideas that solve real problems, look at what annoys you, frustrates
you, gets in your way, or is difficult. Ask other people what issues they have
too. If half of your older friends complain about stairs in their houses, it's
time for a single floor housing development.

I like to demonstrate these techniques with real examples. I also like to do it

as I write, so I can be sure that it works as easily as I say. In this case, I'm
going to think of several annoyances or "issues" I've had in the last few
days, and use them to come up with new ideas.

Okay, it took me three minutes to come up with the following annoyances.

I'll spend a minute or two on each, to see what ideas they stimulate.

Problem: Delicate clothes... I want to throw everything in the washer, and

then in the dryer. I dislike digging through to see what can't be washed in
hot water, and what can't be put in the dryer. Hmm... If there was a store,
let's call it "The Simple Life Store," that sold only clothes that could handle
any type of washing and drying, I'd shop there.

Problem: Forgetting to use what I know... I know how to reduce stress, but I
forget to use the techniques. I even forget to use the memory techniques I
know! Hmm... Would people pay for a twice weekly call from a "life
coach?" You explain beforehand what your goals are, and they call to see if
you are on track, to remind you, and encourage you. Fifteen minutes, $30?

Problem: Uncertain car costs... There are a few things that may be going
wrong with my car. The main stress, though, is from the uncertainty. No
problem for months, and then $700 in brake work out of the blue. Arrgh!
Maybe a mechanic could have a set fee-per-mile for any and all maintenance
and repair. Once you sign the contract, you know what your cost will be per
mile. Or perhaps a monthly charge.

Problem: Lack of space... We used to have a fairly small apartment years

ago. Somebody could market a line of furniture that doubles as storage
space. Couches, chairs - even tables might be designed to provide interior
storage space, and still be attractive. A table than folds up into the wall
when we're done eating might be nice too.

Of course, once you identify the problems to be solved, you can combine
any of the various problem solving techniques to generate ideas for new
products or services. You can also use them one by one, to get as many
different ideas as you can. "Assumption challenging" will definitely give
you different ideas than the "add-subtract-change" technique.
Ideas Exercise

Write down five things that annoy you or cause problems for you. Then
think of a couple possible solutions for these. Even better, think of solutions
that can be used by others who face the same issues.

Problem or annoyance: _______________________________

Possible solutions/ideas: ______________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Problem or annoyance: _______________________________

Possible solutions/ideas: ______________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Problem or annoyance: _______________________________

Possible solutions/ideas: ______________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________
Problem or annoyance: _______________________________

Possible solutions/ideas: ______________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Problem or annoyance: _______________________________

Possible solutions/ideas: ______________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________
 Lesson Six

Brainstorming

So far the lessons have been on ways to create ideas on your own. For this
lesson, I am reprinting a short article I wrote on brainstorming with others.
It is from my web site, www.IncreaseBrainPower.com

The Key To Good Brainstorming

Have you been in a brainstorming session where each person just defended
their own ideas? Worse is when people don't suggest ideas at all, for fear
they'll be attacked. That's no way to brainstorm. Brainstorming is using the
power of many minds, and ideas should flow freely and trigger other ideas.
How do you make that happen?

You have to have a good leader to have good brainstorming. The leader isn't
there to impose his will, though, but to stop the imposition of anyone's will.
His role is to stop criticisms, arguments, and even strong opinions, at least
in the first part of the session.

A brainstorming session needs to be spontaneous, open and uncritical.

"Bad" or "silly" ideas can lead to helpful ones, so suggestions have to be left
un-judged at first. To brainstorm effectively, you can't stifle the creative
process. The leaders job, then, is to make everyone feel free to suggest any
ideas.

An Example Of Good Brainstorming

The scenario: your business needs to cut delivery costs. The group throws
out ideas and thoughts. "Let's not deliver," someone suggests, and when
another starts to criticize, you remind him of the rules. "Negotiate lower
rates," somebody says, "Or just find a company with lower rates," another
adds. Ideas like reducing package weight and charging customers more are
suggested, and lead to other ideas.

You keep it civil, take notes, and eventually call a halt to this free-for-all
part of the session. Now it's time to evaluate and develop the ideas for
whatever usefulness they may have.

To keep the creativity flowing in this stage, have participants defend or

develop ideas that are not their own. This brings new insight to the idea, and
prevents the problem of ego-identification that causes people to get "stuck
in a rut" with their own ideas.

For example, ask the man who was critical of the idea of not delivering to
work with that idea. "We have to deliver," he might start with. Then he
thinks for a second and says, "I suppose we could deliver to central
distribution points instead of to the individual customer. The customer could
drive a short distance to pick up their order. That might save us on
shipping."

Someone else suggests that the customers may like the arrangement. They
would be able to return the product immediately if they were dissatisfied,
with no need to pack and ship it. You assign a couple people to look into it,
and move on to the other ideas.

Good leadership keeps the whole process working. In the last example,
you've even used a "bad" idea to come to a possible solution. That's good
brainstorming.
 Lesson Seven

Concentration And Brainpower

Improving concentration and otherwise preparing for an idea-generating

session is always a good idea. That's what this lesson is about

Better Concentration

When you work on something, concentration is automatic, until you're

distracted. The distractions are often your own constant thoughts. With
nothing interfering, you have more complete concentration, so here's a
method to remove distractions, to control your wandering mind.

Are you expecting something bad to happen? Is an argument going on just

below the surface of your consciousness? Are you worried about something,
or in pain? Find everything you can. This self-observation is crucial, and it
will get easier as you do it more. You'll start to see how many things are
going on in your own head, distracting you.

Deal with these mind-irritants. Make a phone call that's on your mind, take
an aspirin, apologize to whomever you were fighting with. Write things on
tomorrow's to-do list, to get them off your mind. If there's nothing you can
do right now, tell yourself that.

Do this exercise a few times, and you'll find it becomes easier to recognize
what is just below the surface, irritating you and sapping your power of
concentration. Set these mind irritations aside, and you will think more
clearly.

I have read that Stephen King writes with loud music on. What distracts
each of us, or doesn't, is obviously personal and somewhat unique. Do
something about whatever it is that takes your mind away from the task at
hand. Turn off the TV, feed your empty stomach, or turn your desk away
from the window.

When you take care of the external and the internal distractions, you'll be
able to focus your attention and brain power like a spotlight. Watch a child
building a sand castle sometime, and you'll see that the power of
concentration really is natural.

Brain Power

Another thing that affects your ability to come up with new ideas is your
brainpower in general. There are some quick things you can do to boost this.
I won't get into the explanations here. Instead, here's a short list of things
that work.

Have a cup of coffee or tea.

Take three deep breaths.

Sit up straight.

Breath with your mouth closed.

Listen to Mozart's sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448.

Walk for ten minutes.

Take Ginkgo Biloba capsules.

Talk about something you love (try this one - it really wakes up the brain).

Train Your Brain

All these techniques become more useful as they become habits. It takes a
few weeks to develop a habit, so try to use a technique regularly for almost
a month. Then notice what happens when you sit down and look at a
bicycle.

If you've trained your mind in "assumption challenging," you'll

automatically ask things like, "Are wheels necessary?" "Does it have to go
outside?" What if the "bike" was indoors, and pedaling it ran a video
screen? You could "steer" through endless different scenes.

Time to put the lessons to work, and start creating those new ideas.
 Other Books By Steve Gillman

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How To Have New Ideas

A Short Course By Steve Gillman

Brought To You By

http://www.IncreaseBrainpower.com

And

http://www.999Ideas.com

(The End)