How Writing 10 Ideas a Day Improved My Life

Finding great pleasure in crossing tasks off of a to-do list; I’ve been a list writer since I can remember.

Flashback to college when some cheerleader type said to me, all sneery and snobby, “My mom said that if you never write a list you’ll never need one.”

I never talked to that girl again. I took my lists and walked far away and never looked back.

Later in life, brain fitness became an interest.

Idea brainstorming is the best brain fitness.

Post-it notes were right on time in the 80s for my productive clever list-making beginnings. Small lists here and there were everywhere. I still love a good pack of hot pink Post-it notes.

Then fast-forward to the 2000s, and I read Unleashing the Ideavirus: Stop Marketing AT People! Turn Your Ideas into Epidemics by Helping Your Customers Do the Marketing thing for You by Seth Godin. This book is about applying ideas to viral marketing and he cites some of the masters (Paypal, Hotmail, Volkswagen) and their successful Ideavirus marketing campaigns.

“Ignite consumer networks and then get out of the way and let them talk.” Seth Godin

Wow! This was a whole different way of looking at ideas — applying and animating them with the gift of substance and legs.

During my career as a corporate engineering project manager, I was always sought after as a creative problem solver and fire fighter. Unfortunately, the day to day left little time for my personal innovative ritual small list brainstorming.

A decade after reading Seth’s book, 2013, I read James Altucher’s, Choose Yourself, where he includes “Write down a list of ideas” in his Daily Practice. Listing and ideas combined was an inspirational challenge! Themes, names of idea lists, were also introduced. I pulled out lined paper and did some listing here and there.

This is when ideas about ideas started to blossom.

In January 2015, Claudia Azula Altucher published Idea Machine, Because Ideas are the Currency of the 21st Century. This was more of a workbook expository format and her themes were tough!

Idea Machine, the book, really launched me into being a ritual brainstormer. Sharing some ideas attracts people who value ideas. With ritual brainstorming as an additional skill coupled with my existing resume of project management and creative problem solver, I became sought after by people in various industries and careers. Want to pick my brain? There’s a fee for that :).

I hosted a Webex (webinar) with some other readers of Azula’s book, to brainstorm ways to record ideas. How could we track and share ideas.

Then an Idea Accountability group was formed in early 2015, where we list DAILY and share our lists, as a result of reading Claudia’s book.

Here are some of the ways that creating idea lists, daily, has improved my life and the lives of others:

1. Improved relationships on and offline. If someone asks an idea brainstormer a question, they might receive a very full answer. The ability to offer creative solutions and ideas that are unique is very helpful, and people are appreciative. For example, working as a personal business and wellness coach with people often puts me in the role of confidant; many folks bring their business or personal problems to me. I can offer suggestions and (they can take them or leave them) and it also sparks their own thought processes by offering more than one possible solution. Whether working online or offline, an idea brainstormer can choose to reply to many or any questions, professionally or personally, with several solution suggestions (helpful ideas) and it benefits people directly.

2. Enhanced problem solving/solution providing. I was already a solution provider but to offer TEN or TWENTY solutions to someone is really a gift. Solutions give people choices and it opens up their ability to see outside their own box as well.

3. Created networking relationships on and offline with decision makers. For example, sharing a list that can benefit your favorite company may invite a positive response that can spark a referral business relationship.

4. Created friendships on and offline. I am friends with other idea makers. We share our lists with each other! We are idea rich!

5. I’m able to provide input to companies and products that interest me. For example, sharing an idea list with a product company might result in a box of that product at your doorstep!

6. Increased laughter! Sometimes lists of ideas can be really funny. For example, send me your ideas about bugs, interpreted anyway you’d like, now! How about a list of funny movies?

7. Validation. Business and other ideas can be validated or disqualified.

8. Quality of inquisition. Listing ideas makes us more creatively inquisitive. I can ask anyone better questions and in this way we are all more informed. I can learn more from my car mechanic, for example, because I can summon a list of things to ask them.

9. Improved vocabulary. I have friends in Europe that send me idea lists of their commonly used words and phrases like “bee’s knees” and “snogging”!

10. Sharing. They say, The Tide Raises All Boats. If I list my favorite Ted talks and send that list to you, or I share my playlist of podcasts or my list of favorite books, we are growing and sharing together.

11. Love of numbers. There is great fun in referring to the number in a shared idea list, in a comment during a conversation or on- or off-line. You can share your list with me and if we riff on number 5 of that list, now we share an inside joke about 5.

If robots take over the world and our jobs, it’s good to know we can help others brainstorm about all the things; innovation, business, marketing, technology, productivity, and provide accountability and camaraderie.

If anyone wants to brainstorm ideas, here is a free video on how to get started!