Out of fresh ideas? Try this:

I’m not referring to the sticky note reminders that we need to check off the box, but rather, the ideas that stick.

The ideas that you think about when you have nothing else to think about.

The ideas that become such an integral part of your life that they become a part of who you are.

How do you cultivate those ideas?

I use the word cultivate - forgive me - but it’s an old habit thanks to the Army’s way of writing.

He or she cultivates a learning atmosphere…

Anyways, that’s besides the point.

The point is, how do you put yourself in a position to receive those ideas and where do they come from?

May I suggest one answer:

A few nights ago I was reading The Bomber Mafia by Malcom Gladwell.

Prior to opening it, I had been thinking about a screenplay I am writing.

To be honest, I’ve been stuck for quite some time on the first two minutes… and I wasn’t sure where to go from there.

So I decided to take a break.

Turning to my bookmark, I picked up where I left off:

“The automobile was supposed to bring freedom and mobility, which it did for a while. But then millions of people found themselves living miles from their workplaces, trapped in endless traffic jams on epic commutes.”

Right then. It hit me.

The very thing that was built to set us free actually put us in confinement - the automobile.

The very thing I had been needing to do - writing - actually confined me.

You can fill in the blank for just about anything.

And in order to escape that confinement, I had to open the door and walk away.

I had to leave my car so to speak.

Of course I took the keys, but I put it in park and walked away.

— 

If you want to be inspired, and to come away with fresher ideas, leaving the car (metaphorically speaking) is a good place to start.

For me, it meant stepping away from my desk so I could clear my mind.

By opening a book, I actually found clarity rather than confusion.

I found a word I needed to fill in the blank.

Whatever you may be needing, sometimes it is best to just walk away.

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.

I don’t smoke, but you get the point 😉