I have been attending Foundry Grounds each Friday, meeting new and interesting people over coffee, conversation, and short presentations.
One common thread between almost everyone? They carry a notebook to jot down their thoughts and ideas, capturing vignettes of time and space.
I practice this habit as well, resulting in several notebooks full of scribblings, random words, sentences, and more.
What do you do with all of these bits of yourself?
I have employed an idea fragility filter over last few months and the method has yielded great results.
- Revisit a notebook
- Turn to a random page
- Open up The Most Dangerous Writing App
- Write
I usually use the 75-word setting and go. If I can’t write 75-words about the idea, it isn’t worth pursuing[1].
You will be amazed at what will come out of you if you know that you cannot stop for longer than 5-seconds before all is lost. The pressure is exhilarating and pushes you into a less critical state of mind, ideally reaching flow.
Now I challenge you. Get out a notebook, turn to a random page, and type for 75-words. What comes out may not all be gold, but if you make it to the end, there is usually a nugget you can build upon. Repeat the process in a Sisyphean trance until you have exhausted your creative energies at the moment. Wait for a bit and do it again with another idea.
[1]: Maybe it was the current moment that failed to yield results. You can try again at a different date, but in my experience, it is best to move on to another idea.