How Boredom Leads To New Ideas And Creativity
When I was writing a previous article on ego, I realized that to be inspired, you have to listen to yourself. They always say that to succeed on the web, you have to be a good listener. But in these cases, we talk about empathy towards our community, our network, and others. And yet, as the saying goes, “Know thyself…”
In order to offer content that is relevant, appealing and hits the mark, all net workers agree that the raw material is grey in colour. But when you think too much, inspiration remains restricted and curls up, generating frustration and a frightening blank page.
I do not invite you to lie down on a bench, but to let go of what you are doing next to it while reading this post.
Is inspiration limited?
Etymologically, inspiration refers to “an internal impulse suggesting or generating the creation of an idea”. Needless to say, this notion is more than valued, as it is often associated with innovation, original ideas and optimal productivity.
However, inspiration has its drawbacks. Have you ever been stuck on a sentence for 30 minutes without understanding what’s wrong with it? Yet the next morning, when you look at it calmly and with peace of mind, everything seems clear and the problem is obvious. In reality, we sometimes have to take breaks from our tasks to be more efficient and find inspiration. Take a break shortly to come back stronger.
Listening to your mind is like everything else, it’s something you have to work on. Moments of concentration or stress sometimes blind us. Take the example of the words on the tip of your tongue, the more you concentrate, the more it creates “black holes”. The focus of our mind on a specific task prevents it from having an enlightened vision. Remember how your teachers used to terrorize you and make you lose your temper when they questioned you in front of the whole class. Alone, you answered without any problem, but the stress caused by the surprise and insistent looks blocked your inspiration and resulted in a simple word: “uh…”. Because when you want to find the idea of the century, it’s often a blank page. When I’m asked to use my brain, it blocks me, like an unwanted presence when it comes to emptying my bladder.
Inspiration is often fierce and wild, it is not so easily tamed. It is said that men can’t do two things at the same time, but apart from doing the dishes, a physical act can be done in conjunction with a mental act. In this sense, inspiration is a “muscle” that requires exercises to perfect oneself. A neural gymnastics that gives us a more direct access to our imagination.
Certainly some people find it easier to come up with ideas, they are more inspired by nature. But that doesn’t mean they are smarter, they are simply more attuned to their minds. They manage to enter into “communion” with their mind (amen!). This obviously depends on the subject matter. The closer they are to our interests or areas of expertise, the more inspiration will come. This is normal because you already have training in this area, you are no longer “immaculate”.
The main thing is not to just force yourself, because you’re getting into a corner. It’s as if you’re standing in front of a genius painting in an art gallery and you don’t understand the meaning of the theme. The fact is that sometimes there is nothing to understand, except to let yourself be carried away by your own vision of things. This conception evokes the interest of not thinking through the work of others, but of seeing possibilities through the prism of one’s own faculties. So don’t always look for noon to 2 p.m. because you will have spent half the day in the wind.
Let your subconscious speak to succeed!
To be or become creative, it makes you dream. Some people even get paid for it. However, you don’t have to go under your duvet to come up with good ideas. If nighttime is a good idea, daydreaming can be a good idea too. That way, if your boss catches you loitering, you have the perfect excuse to prove to him that you’re building an extraordinary strategy for the company.
Detaching yourself from your imperatives and obligations allows you to let your imagination run wild and come up with ideas. Freeing the mind causes moments when the spirit is on the alert and alert to your unconscious concerns. It is during these moments that your mind is most prolific, the best ideas germinate. It is often said that love falls on us when we least expect it. Well, it’s the same with good ideas.
So how do you get creative and come up with original ideas? You don’t have to stuff yourself with “5 good ideas for topics when inspiration fails” articles. Even if the themes are fun, there are already people who are mining this gold.
If you are really passionate about a subject, ideas will surface on their own in impromptu moments. Creative impulses welcome. Moreover, each person at times in the day when his or her mind is at its most productive. So you have to be attentive to your lifestyle.
A time of action that leaves no room for imagination
There’s no boredom on the Internet, the web is a permanent spectacle where minutes turn into hours, like a game of video games with friends. Like a good movie at the cinema then! During these virtual journeys, there is no more room for imagination. Our attention is blocked by our peregrinations and we don’t let our potential express itself. Relaxation is subjective, because we are never in a state of “doing nothing” during which thought can wander freely.
Off the web, it’s the same thing, we talk and drive at the same time, we run and sing simultaneously. But when we overtake a heavyweight at full speed, we no longer listen to what our neighbour is saying, we don’t say a word because we are concentrated. The same thing happens when our jogging companion asks us impromptu to tell him how much is 14 X 76. We stop his run to think and focus on the task, because it requires mental effort. In these cases, imagination and inspiration have no place, because the cognitive effort is too great. It is the same at work, when there is a succession of emergencies…
Not answering the sirens’ call
There are a lot of people out there who are in search of ideas. People who use existing ideas to create new ones, that’s all there are. However, not every influence is good to integrate. Yes, articles that list 50 ideas to find article themes are good to make your boss smile, but don’t bet on them to exist on your own.
Viral marketing and communication issues push us to adopt practices that hit the mark and make them our own. Just remember to disregard what your peers say before giving your opinion so that the added value of your words is more visible.
Conclusion
Don’t look for inspiration: it will come to you. To get that date, avoid speed dating where you only hope to satisfy your “overflow” of good intentions, and let your mind guide you.
Inspiration is not what inspired the song “it goes away and it comes back”. It is more of a bulb which only lights up if you are connected to it (don’t worry, there is no risk of electric shock).
It is often the simplest ideas that are the best. Very often, it even hides under our nose without us even knowing it. Think of the number of scientists who have found revolutionary ideas and theories in innocuous situations far from work.
After reading this article, remember to take some time for yourself, not to think about your next article or meeting, but simply to allow your subconscious mind to blow you away from ideas you hadn’t thought of. If you really don’t have the time, give yourself 1 minute during which you close your eyes and listen to your heartbeat. Inhale deeply and exhale quietly. Don’t think about anything, listen to your body. You will start from 0, your mind will do a mini “reset” that will save you.
