How To Have Idea Sex And Make Idea Babies
“Wit is the sudden marriage of ideas which before their union were not perceived to have any relation.” -Mark Twain
In the sixties, the only people who played with dolls were little girls. Most little boys didn’t want anything to do with them. They wanted action, guns, and adventure.
One day a man named Stan Weston noticed this and invented the GI Joe. He didn’t invent a new concept. He simply brought two existing concepts together and created something that changed how kids all around the world played.
Stan Weston said this about his success:
“Truly groundbreaking ideas are rare, but you don’t necessarily need one to make a career out of creativity. My definition of creativity is the logical combination of two or more existing elements that result in a new concept. The best way to make a living with your imagination is to develop innovative applications, not imagine completely new concepts.”
James Altucher talks often about Idea Sex: The marriage of two seemingly different ideas coming together to make something new.
There’s an unfortunate tendency among creatives to seek out and celebrate the grandiose, complicated, and otherworldly ideas that will “change everything.”
With the level of innovation and technology we have, it’s easy to believe that everything worth discovering has been discovered. We’ve conquered the west, circumnavigated the globe, and have set our sights on other planets. Are there any BIG secrets or ideas left?
Here’s a secret:
To make an impact, you don’t need to pull outer-worldly ideas out of thin air. Being creative isn’t just about dreaming up what has never been done or said. It’s about taking what’s already available and making it better. A creative eye sees what’s hidden in plain sight.
The next BIG idea is already here. It’s camouflaged by the obvious, waiting for the right person to recognize the inevitable combination of two wildly different ideas.
The intangible, spiritual muse of creativity is one we must cultivate and listen to. However, we can’t forget the other side of creative coin:
Creativity = Logical combinations of existing elements.
So now you have permission: Go into the world and have unprotected idea sex every day and make idea babies.
