When you have your mind full of ideas and you can't express them in the real world.

[Bluegazer]

I want to ask you if it has happened to you as it is happening to me now.

You see, lately it happens to me that I get a lot of ideas in my head. Generally related to design. Usually they are images that come to me of objects that are possible to bring to the three-dimensional world, starting from a sketch, then to modeling on PC and finally in 3D printing. Or solutions to some design problems.

But when I start to make the first sketch or I want to take it to the 3D model I can't continue. It's a mix between reluctance and lack of resolution between the idea and the manual work.

My head is full of ideas that I can't realize either because of what I'm telling you, or because of lack of other resources.

I am not asking you to give me solutions, I would just like to know if you have gone through the same thing or are going through it. Because I know that sometimes it is only temporary, but the truth is that I feel dizzy with so many ideas that do not materialize. It's like when you have energy to spare but if you don't use it, you get wasted...

 

[mkrnhr]

Hi Bluegazer,
I know a few people like that, and occasionally I have the same issue. The problem is that whenever you think of an idea, it's as if it were done, and in the end you end up doing nothing. The only solution I have is to force onself to concretize those ideas one at the time, to fix a schedule and try conforming to it. That doesn't stop new ideas from coming, but there is a time for anything. For instance, you will have a couple hours on thursday that are dedicated in advance to realize idea n°375: No matter what happens, you work on it. Even if an idea n°499 comes during those two hours of dedication, you just note it rapidely on a notebook and come back to the task at hand. Everybody has his own hack but this should help somehow I think.

 

[psychegram]

I've for sure had this. It's a constant struggle, in fact.

The only way to push through is to just do it. It's actually really essential to the creative process. As you instantiate the idea, additional ideas occur to you, and the project fleshes itself out.

There's a weird kind of trepidation and guilt associated with procrastinating. You hesitate to start because ... Why, exactly? Fear that it will be a lot of work? It isn't always (and doesn't always feel like work). Fear it won't match the shining vision in your mind? Almost never does. But then when you don't start, you feel guilty for not doing it, which kills motivation more.

And then of course, the real death spiral - when all your ideas are stillborn due to procrastination, you can too easily lose access to the creative fountain in the first place. Lack of activity breeds lack of confidence ... or maybe more accurately, false confidence in your lack of ability (or will) to complete a project. Then the muse concludes that her attention is wasted, and she seeks more fertile ground elsewhere.

Often the hardest part of just to start, but once you do it gets much easier. It's like jumping into the pool. Nothing for it but to plunge in.

 

[3DStudent]

I have had that problem, and if you have too many ideas, I'd say just brain-dump them and write them all out. And pick only the best ones. When you have an idea, the image in your mind is only a schema, and won't reflect reality 100%, unless you're really good at visualization. And reality will always give more input on things and they may change.

I've heard of an idea called, "Finished, not perfect." You simply aim to complete whatever project or task you want to do and don't worry about the outcome. Some people's problem is that they don't have a project, so their creative efforts don't really go anywhere (myself included). But I suppose with your mecha project you can try to fit your ideas into that?

 

[SlipNet]

I go through this too, I'm a master procrastinator it seems. For instance, recently I agreed to paint an illustration for a friend's new novel. It's supposed to be the cover actually. Anyway, I came up with plenty of ideas for the cover, colours used, mixed media between paint and pastel crayon. I laid it all out in a simple one page plan and went to sleep, happy with my efforts. It took me a good month to even begin the actual painting! I watched the Euro football while juggling other ideas in my head and adding them to my notebook. It's not a case of not wanting to begin, but starting is always the hardest part of the task for me; once I get into the flow things are fine; still challenging, but not in an insurmountable way.

I second the notion of always keeping a notebook close to hand, that way you don't miss a new idea. One of my lecturers in Uni was the novelist Will Self, and he swore to us that a notebook is the most important weapon in any artist's arsenal. He never leaves home without a notebook, just in case...and then you don't have to go through the angst and frustration of a lost idea. I think this the key; you can never have too many ideas, but always getting into the habit of jotting them down is crucial, and of course then you can always go back to them. Having physical notes also frees up your head space so you can progress any idea of your choice.

 

[Bluegazer]

But I suppose with your mecha project you can try to fit your ideas into that?

Yes, that's part of it, another part is that I make the 3D models to sell and I'm not producing anything new.

I've been working on my mecha project since 2018 and it has only remained in a prototype phase that I've been improving, yes, but it hasn't advanced any further since then, to the point of being able to produce in quantity and sell. (I just happen to want to manufacture a toy where the average entrepreneur doesn't even consider having a meeting to evaluate the project... -I sent emails to several manufacturing companies to sell them my idea and development, but... I was ignored. Only one was honest and told me they were not interested.- ).

Well, I don't want this to become a complaint on my part. I just want to know the experience of each of you in this situation.

 

[Quill]

Same has happened to me as well, with some hobby projects. If/when there are challenging things, I'll take a look on the net, how others have possibly approached such things. Sometimes I don't find suitable, or even existing ways to do this or that, done by others.

When I start a new project, I have some kind of an image, or thought, of what I'd like the result to be like. But clinging too much to that image may be one reason, why one gets stuck. It's like focusing to the result through the telescope, thus limiting one's perception.

Avoiding the anticipation must be the greatest stumbling block. When I anticipate to not anticipate, I find myself anticipating.

One way to look at it, is to set all the tools and means one has, completely aside. It's not an easy thing to do necessarily, but occasionally, or rather rarely, I've had it happening. The way/how/why it happens or works, I can only anticipate.

 

[3DStudent]

I second the notion of always keeping a notebook close to hand, that way you don't miss a new idea. One of my lecturers in Uni was the novelist Will Self, and he swore to us that a notebook is the most important weapon in any artist's arsenal. He never leaves home without a notebook, just in case...and then you don't have to go through the angst and frustration of a lost idea. I think this the key; you can never have too many ideas, but always getting into the habit of jotting them down is crucial, and of course then you can always go back to them. Having physical notes also frees up your head space so you can progress any idea of your choice.

I've thought about even putting a string through a notebook and carrying it as a necklace. You know, for the thoughts that quickly fade away in minutes. But that wouldn't be completely practical. Maybe a notebook under your shirt sleeve?

 

[SlipNet]

I've thought about even putting a string through a notebook and carrying it as a necklace. You know, for the thoughts that quickly fade away in minutes. But that wouldn't be completely practical. Maybe a notebook under your shirt sleeve?

I hadn't thought of that. Most shirt designs have a breast pocket which could easily house a small notebook. I carry a 20litre rucksack with me everywhere I go these days, and a notebook/pen is a constant within it. Most of the time it goes unused, but every now and again it turns out to be handy. You never know when an inspired moment is gonna occur.

 

[whitecoast]

And then of course, the real death spiral - when all your ideas are stillborn due to procrastination, you can too easily lose access to the creative fountain in the first place. Lack of activity breeds lack of confidence ... or maybe more accurately, false confidence in your lack of ability (or will) to complete a project. Then the muse concludes that her attention is wasted, and she seeks more fertile ground elsewhere.

A lot of creative things we did when we were younger can end up like this when the talents are not used. But I have found personally that the muse can always be regained when one makes a practice of that creative activity. You just need to spend time on an instrument or notebook or keyboard, without anticipation, consistently for a bit, and eventually you catch hints of cautious inspiration, poking their heads out of your unconscious to see if there is a receiver on the other end. Giving expression to that, and experiencing the reward of that, I think, primes the unconscious to find more stuff of a similar nature.

This is the same thing that happens to someone who is waking up to their own sense of intuition, where at first they're not sure if they've received a hint or impulse of some kind from the unconscious or if they just imagined it. But if they do follow hint there is a rewarding reinforcement that strengthens the synaptic connections been the conscious parts of the brain and the unconscious parts, and eventually it becomes easier to access.

 

[mxwlll0]

I am not asking you to give me solutions, I would just like to know if you have gone through the same thing or are going through it. Because I know that sometimes it is only temporary, but the truth is that I feel dizzy with so many ideas that do not materialize. It's like when you have energy to spare but if you don't use it, you get wasted...

Yes. There seems to be a very good reason our culture refers to them as brainstorms, no? At least that’s the name I’ve landed on over the years. It’s more constructive than “crazy thoughts”. Some are more intense than others and it can depending on the time of year, emotional state, or how well grounded I am (or not).

I’m just coming out of one triggered by my job plus knowing myself and how my mind works (left handed for one) I know the last two weeks of August are the worst times for me to do creative work. If I had it my way I would just hibernate for two weeks! Managers have a knack for that

Lately, I too have noted the dizzy feeling or wobbly sense. My guess is that we were affected by the latest uptick in seismic activity or passing gravity waves or the wave - another reality shift? A similar occurrence happened in early January which felt and was first noted by Laura and others (I can dig up the thread - might dreaming in the totalitarian society). There’s was a lot of seismic activity then too.

Of note, there’s definitely “something in the way of things” (for me or region at least) it happened to get more intense over the last four years - since the eclipse went over my region in 2017. And just when I’m about to pick up my own personal work again (graphic novels/animation/books on design process) the universe throws me a curveball and says “nope not yet” go solve this logistics problem.

It makes me think STS’s greatest fear is humanity realizing its full creative potential to solving problems macro-collaboratively and therefore rendering the “fear imprint” obsolete or swaying people to create STS driven design.

Anyway, thanks for starting this thread! If you’re interested in any books or resources on how to hone in and control the flow of inspiration or just nuts n bolts visDev books I’m happy to share from my library.

 

[mxwlll0]

I hadn't thought of that. Most shirt designs have a breast pocket which could easily house a small notebook. I carry a 20litre rucksack with me everywhere I go these days, and a notebook/pen is a constant within it. Most of the time it goes unused, but every now and again it turns out to be handy. You never know when an inspired moment is gonna occur.

I've thought about even putting a string through a notebook and carrying it as a necklace. You know, for the thoughts that quickly fade away in minutes. But that wouldn't be completely practical. Maybe a notebook under your shirt sleeve?

FWIW, there’s sketchwallet it’s pretty nifty:

Sketch Wallet or Etchr

 

[Bluegazer]

Lately, I too have noted the dizzy feeling or wobbly sense. My guess is that we were affected by the latest uptick in seismic activity or passing gravity waves or the wave - another reality shift? A similar occurrence happened in early January which felt and was first noted by Laura and others (I can dig up the thread - might dreaming in the totalitarian society). There’s was a lot of seismic activity then too.

Thank you for the exchange. I will definitely keep an eye on this. There are other things that are also happening to me but I don't know if they are related.... apart from this feeling of dizziness, seeing small flashes of light, like very tiny dots. I have already seen an ophthalmologist and there is nothing wrong in my eyes.

 

[Quill]

Thank you for the exchange. I will definitely keep an eye on this. There are other things that are also happening to me but I don't know if they are related.... apart from this feeling of dizziness, seeing small flashes of light, like very tiny dots. I have already seen an ophthalmologist and there is nothing wrong in my eyes.

I have also small flashes happening. They appear mostly in the left side of the field of view. I started noticing them since last winter/spring.

 

[dredger]

Hello, nice subject you launched @Bluegazer
I also have many ideas poping out of my head and I completely agree that the first good thing to do is to write them down.
As i'm an IT and often in front of my PC, i found a very simple application that allows me to write all my ideas in a single text editor but which has the particularity to allow to create a tree structure, like folders. The application is old and not supported anymore, but can still be found, it's a very little one, just one unique EXE file (which makes 124k only), the name is "Takenote", and it produces small "xxx.TKN" files. In my company, among all our files, we still use it. You can download it here :

TakeNote

Save small perfectly organised notes

takenote.en.softonic.com

One of my most important TKN file is the one I named "BacAIdees.tkn", it's french, it means "Bac à idées", which in english means "Ideas Box", or "Box of ideas" ^^
I show you an example, i made a screenshoot of the "directory" structure, I just blurred the text, but you can figure out what happen when you use it since a while and noted many ideas already :



For instance, I classified my ideas in 4 main topics :
- Ideas in regard of my actual company
- ... in regard to the new company/business i would like to open (mainly idea in regard to self autonomy, health, agriculture, special devices or researches ...)
- ... in regard to my old beloved computer Amiga (very specific ideas)
- ... and a last one in regard to the C's community, what I could bring if I decide to join FOTCM one day (because i'm still too busy right now and dont want to come without bringing something ... and lurk)


If this can help you then it's good :) That was for the practical side.

For a more general comment, i also struggle among all my ideas and I also have difficulties to stop the flux of idea and concentrate on their realisation. This is the main problem. Here are some tricks I learned from time to time, some are repetition of what some here already posted above :
- writing down an idea allows you to flush it from your brain and this is liberating (and avoid you to drown in too many ideas)
- it often happen that 1 idea whether can merge with one other or is a kind of improved idea, in this case, I "update" the idea in the takenote
- when some ideas are coming back in my head this means that it may be important, like if the universe was teling me that this one is a good one to follow or at least to spend some time on it
- you definitively need to train to chose one idea and try to finish it until the end. It's difficult to explain here but in practice here's how I see it : if you start too many projects and never finish them completely you are creating "an armada of unfinished projects", then it's like wearing a backpack of useless stone on you all the time, and as you can guess it, this does not help you, this consumes some of your energy, I like the meme "it's a trap !", and it's the case here. So, on my side, I really pay attention to this, to limit the number of active projects and reject any other one until I did not finish some of the active ones.
- clean up your workplace regularly, this really help a lot : I mean, create a good area then GO ON. As i'm working a lot on my PC, it's sometimes simply cleaning up all the uncessary icons/shortcuts/files on my windows desktop and it's done, I feel like having removed a pair of stones in my backpack ^^
- one project can sometimes be a very small one, i give an example : I often create PDF document for the company. I talked about one to create to my coleagues since the begining of this year (one document to summarize the yearly maintenances for our key customers). I decided recently to go for it, it took me ... dunno, from 4 to 6 hours finally. Now it's done, it's finished, i'm happy, it's like if I regained the energy spent on it, ready to be used for another one. If you scatter your energy in too many projects at the same time you may end with no more energy to make one advance, so in my case, I force myself using logic, using will, using tricks like choosing one music album + put the helmet on my head and start creating.
- fully agree that the most difficult part is to start !
- fully agree also that if you have one friend near you, at least it's my case, it motivates me 200% more. It's like when i hear people who love to prepare food: when it's for themselves they do not have much courage, but when it's for someone more then the person is more willing to prepare the dinner.

==> this gave me an idea (LOL no ?) : find someone here who is like you, decide with him with a tchat application like Telegram, befriend and motivate each others, you can even rely both together like ... A and B discuss about their actual projects, you decide to tchat in 2 days at 8pm, and 2 days after, both ask the other if he advanced in his projects. It's the principle of sharing, exchanging energies. and having each other following their project , it's like playing the role of "Master and Student" to each ones, this could be very effective.

I can't help to give an actual even that will happen tomorrow and which I scheduled : I organised a friendly meeting between 4 people including myself. By meeting, it's simply that they'll rejoin me in my parent's house during the afternoon to discuss about anything, no specific project in mind, but these 3 people have all in common one particularity :the 3 of them are kinda masters with their hands. One of them, Walter, is an old colleague who already deposit one patent on an external burner oven which produces 1 kW using a steerling engine and he's working on another patent, the other, Philippe, almost entirely built his house himself and he's top gifted with his hands (also very good in electronic), and the last one is my cousin (William, who is also my 4th brother & my employee/colleague), a master in electronic/electric/engine and he's the best friend of Philippe. I already put William together with Walter, and they directly befriended, I can't imagine what will happen by bringing together the 3 of them, and on top of that all the 3 are really good people. (Im excited about tomorrow in fact ^^)

I wanted to testimony this to show you the importance, at least to me, to find the right people and maybe extend some of your ideas to be done by a group, which is what I finally succeeded to do with my company, we are a group of 6 employee who work in a very specific domain, and without them i would have never arrived to what the company arrived, and not only because of our additionned "task force", but because of each other presence (I don't know if I well explain what I have in mind) : I mean : when you succeed to gather people who all look into the same direction, you drastically augment the ... power of realisation not only by additionning the "time & energy" of each of the team, but because of a group effect. It's like in RPG game, you know, the support character, who grant a buff aura to the whole team, it's exactly the point here, but a buff aura comes from all (some more, some less) by the simple fact of working together. And yes, you need some leaders to take care of not spreading in too many directions and also be aware of what is going on outside in order to rapidly redirect the energy of the team in order to optimise the best its use.

I admit that I deviated a bit from the original topic but .. if what I wrote can inspire some here then it's good :)

Last but not least, as i'm actually re-reading Castaneda, and based on a sentence I said many time to my colleague which is (traduced in english) : when we decide to do something we do it well or we don't (decide to) do it. This is +/- in line with the "impeccability" aspect of the warrior of Castaneda, and link to this is the action, the "present".
I just digged in the 4th book of Castaneda I'm just reading, which is "Tales of Power", because I read a passage these last days about impeccability. I found it and as I have the english version of all the books in a PDF I rapidly found back the passage, here it is (Part 2, end of Chapter 8 named "The Whispering of The Nagual" :

"We're back again to my old question, don Juan. What's impeccability?"
"Yes, we're back again to your old question and consequently we're back again to my old
answer: 'Impeccability is to do your best in whatever you're engaged in.'"
"But don Juan, my point is that I'm always under the impression I'm doing my best, and
obviously I'm not."
"It's not as complicated as you make it appear. The key to all these matters of impeccability is
the sense of having or not having time. As a rule of thumb, when you feel and act like an
immortal being that has all the time in the world you are not impeccable; at those times you
should turn, look around, and then you will realize that your feeling of having time is an idiocy.
There are no survivors on this earth!"

... and what i think i still can't well do on my side is the second part of this advise from Don Juan, he explains this more in other passage, when he advises to ask death as advisor (which remains you that you are not immortal)
At least, what I understand is that spending energy on too many (never finished) projects, or worst, spend time on useless project is a common error.

I was wondering about your main project Bluegazer, simply put but ... when you look how it's going on, being near of a breakdown of the actual world, do you think that your 3D model project is still viable ? Imagine 1 second that you drop this project, wouldn't you find back a lot of energy for other projects, small but achievable ones that would help you to regain your energy and self trust ? This is just ... an idea that came in my mind when i read you (please don't kick ^^)