Have you ever experienced a sudden burst of inspiration that seemed to come out of nowhere?

Every day we come up with new ideas, some of which are brilliant and some of which are not so great.

But where do these ideas come from, and where do they go?

Do they originate from within us, or are they the product of something external?

Maybe you were in the shower, walking, or doing something that helped clear your mind.

The truth is, ideas can come from anywhere, but have you ever wondered where they really come from?

Recently, I learned about a framework for generating endless ideas. While I successfully generated many ideas using it, I did not feel like writing about any of them. Almost like they weren’t for me to write about.

Then, I remembered a conversation with a friend, Sarah, yesterday who shared that she gets her best ideas during or after her Qi Gong practice and a swim in the sea.

One day she deliberately did not jot her ideas, to see if they would return to her. Luckily, that day they did when she was sitting at a pub.

She learned from Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Big Magic that ideas are always there and will come to you, and if you ignore them, they will go to someone else.

Similarly, I find that my best ideas often come to me during or after my daily yoga and meditation practice or while playing with my dog in the park.

I have found that being in a calm and relaxed state of mind helps me to be more open to new ideas.

I got fascinated with this conversation and posted the question on the tweet app. The answers I received blew me away. Below are some of the best ones.

Scotty believes “we are conduits of ideas. Every day ideas pass through some level of our consciousness.”

Kim imagines “thought forms are floating in the quantum field, and we attract them.”

Sri definitely knows that “ideas aren’t unique. Someone out there definitely has had the same thought.”

Brandon says “we’re always collaborating with the universe. He read somewhere that our brains are switching back and forth between two types of thinking — focus (task-oriented) and Diffused (presence oriented). There’s a balance of switching back and forth to these states to increase our reception.”

Another friend, Yangins thinks “it’s almost like noticing clouds in the sky. No cloud is ever the same shape again, and yet its infinite combinations are so vast that very similar shapes can repeat. But you have to look up to see the cloud.”

According to scientific research, our brains constantly process information, even when we are unaware of it. This processing can result in sudden bursts of creativity or ideas that come out of nowhere.

Studies have also shown that certain activities, such as meditation and exercise, can increase the production of brain waves associated with creativity and inspiration. Additionally, it is now fully established that exposure to new experiences and environments can stimulate the brain and lead to new ideas. It even strengthens the brain, developing more complex neural pathways which enable the creation of more interesting innovations and ideas being randomly generated by our brains as they cross fire and connect in interesting ways.

There are various beliefs and schools of thoughts about where our ideas come from. Below are some common ones:

• Ideas come from a divine source or are a product of intuition.
• Ideas are the result of hard work and dedication.
• Ideas are a shared resource and can be accessed by anyone open and receptive.
• Ideas result from the collective consciousness of all humanity.

Individuals who believe that ideas come from a divine source in the form of inspiration often feel that their ideas are not their own but a gift from a higher power.

This belief can be seen in many creative fields, where artists and writers often attribute their work to a divine source.

“Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love that is the soul of genius.” — Mozart

Many people interpret this quote as Mozart believing that his ideas were not his own but rather a product of his love and devotion to music.

Then there are those that believe that ideas are the result of hard work and dedication. This belief is often seen in the business world, where entrepreneurs and innovators work tirelessly to develop new ideas and bring them to fruition.

These individuals believe that anyone can develop great ideas with enough effort and dedication.

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” — Steve Jobs.

Jobs believed that innovation was the key to success in business and that it was the result of hard work and dedication.

I personally believe that all intelligence and ideas exist in the universe, waiting to be tapped into by anyone who is open and receptive.

It’s all about being in the right mindset and focusing our attention on what we want to create or accomplish.

What do you believe?

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