How are ideas born? Tips from an ad guru

How do you come up with an idea? That's a question I have often been asked by those outside the so-called creative world.

To be honest, I don't think I have ever come up with one. As far as I can recall, ideas have always come to me. In my opinion, ideas are free-floating bodies in the ether space and one's sensibilities are the receiver -- the sharper the receiver, the easier it is for ideas to get attracted.

I have never come up with an idea in a definite and defined state. Then it's too focused and boring. It is the luminal, in the fluid space, which is often responsible for ideas. Conversely, that is frustrating because it is not a definite state -- but at the same time it's a very idea-friendly condition.

You see, I love confusion -- finality kills creation. I want to be spoiled for choice because then the possibilities are immense. The fact remains -- life is confusion, or to put it in another way, life is in confusion! Even with love --  there is no one answer. Because the truth is one may love someone for several reasons, but the inability to articulate them, prompts a person to make up their mind on one main rationale.

But there are so many small things that you "feel" and that to me is the key. Confusion makes your senses alive and when your senses are alive, you create. Focus on the other hand, forces you to rely on analysis. Analysis lacks magic.

The only time I focus is when I read a brief and get a hang of what is required. I get as much information as possible on the product/brand, the target audience and so on — that opens my mind and transforms me to a state where I can do justice to the task at hand. Post that I let myself be. The mind keeps on ticking and gradually the ideas start coming in.

How you think or get ideas differs person to person. For me, a cup of coffee, a walk, a dip in the pool, spending a little more than usual time on the pot, or struggling on my X-box --  are a few things that have sparked off ideas. Also, my indulgence in other areas like writing lyrics, poetry and composing music has made my mind more fertile.

I have always been averse to trying too hard to look for an idea. Let the brief soak in, seep into your sub-conscious mind and then the ideas will follow. In Hindu mythology, it's called "nimit" -- that is, you are the medium and a medium should never take itself too seriously. A livewire cannot say --  "I am electricity". All one can do is to become a worthy medium of good ideas.

For a creative person to become a good medium, it is important to develop sensibilities and to work on your craft because ideas have to be expressed in different forms, be it art, writing, music, dance or any other form. For a great idea to take shape, it needs to be backed by exceptional craft. And what a shame, so many great ideas are killed or do not get their due because they are not executed properly.

Of course, experience and knowledge helps. They don't necessarily make you a better ideator, but they do sharpen your understanding and alertness towards recognising a great idea. You learn to differentiate between real ideas and those that pretend to be one.

So let the ideas find their way in, just ensure that the inlet is an interesting one.

Prasoon Joshi's take on life, the universe and advertising.