1. The scraps of our experiences

Ideas are formed when we take pieces of our history and turn them into a cohesive puzzle that tells a story. It requires time, self-awareness, and sometimes courage to face past pains. 

However, being open to our experiences, both the pains and joys, creates space for inspiration only your history, interests, and personality could ever produce. 

2. Spindles of chaos and calm

Steven Johnson’s book ‘Where do Good Ideas Come From’, highlights the value of contrasting brain states. Neurons alternate between states of turbulence (where they fire completely out of sync with each other) and more organized states (where they come together as large clusters that fire at the same frequency). 

This means that creative blooms when we can embrace spindles of chaos and calm in our lives. So, apart from life thrills, don’t forget to credit those quiet stare-into-space moments. That’s when your brain makes sense of and organizes chaos. 

3. Embracing the random 

One clear example of embracing the random are the dreams you experience while asleep. They are technically primordial soup of innovation. Whether it’s running away from a purple T-Rex or singing naked in front of your in-laws, these random dreams represent how our brains can drive serendipitous discoveries. 

Scientifically speaking, we dream during a sleep stage called Rapid Eye Movement (REM). This is where our brain produces random surges of electricity, bridging the gap between memories, facts, and associations. 

These random neurochemical surges occur during the day too. A lot of times we disregard these unplanned, accidental insights. But when you can, stay open to these magic moments of insights.