Do you know that despite our unique qualities, we all have similar ideas? Yes, you read that correctly. The ideation process and execution are what make ideas unique. Have you ever seen any content (picture or video) and you are in awe because somehow you have either thought about it or discussed it with some friends? Are we still on the same page? I guess so.

So, what goes down in the ideation process?

While growing up, we have been consuming different content; cartoons, soap operas, movies, relationships with our immediate family, friends, colleagues, social media, and the community at large. Here’s the gist, those contents (let’s call them life events) are what form our thought process at various points when we have to ideate or make a decision.

The phrase, “you cannot give what you don’t have” is applied to the ideation process because you cannot produce something you haven’t consumed either consciously or unconsciously. This last sentence looks unclear, right? Take a deep breath… 

When each of those life moments (as explained in the 3rd paragraph) takes place, some of them get stored in our subconscious. Most times, we only bring to our consciousness the ones we think we need based on our present life activities (job roles, work positions, etc). Hence, it is easy to relate to the things we find on google or in a research and/or ideation meeting because they are part of the life moments we have stored up with us.

To have different beautiful ideas during ideation, consume a lot of content in your space and outside your space. Outside your space, so you can have a vast bank of ideas, inside your space so you can stay updated, build confidence in subject matters, etc. Your ideation process depends on many things, your bank of consumed contents is one of them.

Ready to come out of your shell and create something for the world to see? You’ve got this and I am rooting for you!

Credit: Oluwafemi Ogunsanya