3 ways to explore

Tips for foraging from the author of IdeaSpotting

Einstein used to spend 55 minutes exploring for every five minutes he spent coming up with ideas, says Sam Harrison, the author of IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea.

Clearly foraging — the feed-your-brain step of the creative process — is essential to inventiveness.

Here are three types of foraging every creative person should engage in, Harrison says:

1. Firing-range exploring. That’s targeted research for a specific project.
2. Free-range exploring, or looking for inspiration, influences and ideas on a daily basis — while traveling, seeing new movies, reading odd magazines, checking out hot restaurants and exhibits.
3. Exploring to find passion. Here’s a Zen tip: “If something bores you for five minutes, try it for 10,” Harrison says. “Eventually, you’ll get excited about it.”

One of the great things about being a creative person is the license it gives you to explore, learn and grow.

“Are you filling your life with work?” asks Harrison. “Or are you filling your work with life?”

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Source: Sam Harrison, the author of IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea, How, 2006