I know some people who believe that if they have a good idea, they’ll remember it later.  And that if they don’t, it wasn’t a strong idea in the first place.  I don’t think that’s true for me.  My mind is an equal opportunity forgetter, letting go of most ideas, whatever their quality, immediately and indiscriminately.

It’s very easy to take an idea for granted.  It goes through my head… no big deal… like a bus, there’ll be another along any minute.

But for a creative person, Ideas Are Gold.  They’re the spark that starts everything.

If I don’t immediately write my idea down or record it in some way – scribble it on a scrap of paper or the back of a receipt, hum it into a phone… whatever works – in all likelihood it’ll be gone with the wind.   Plus I often have no idea at the time if it’s a ‘good’ idea or not.

The solution?  To me, it’s about respecting my ideas; respecting them enough to write them down or record them RIGHT AWAY.  Developing them is another story… that takes time… and is often not as dependent on catching the moment.

In my experience, ideas come and go.  I need to grab them when they come and fix them ‘in a tangible medium’ before they depart.  When my subconscious – or my unconscious, or whatever – gives them to me, I’ve got to value them.

If I don’t, who will?