More on idea fish

Idea fish are thoughts that come to you just between sleeping and being fully awake. To catch an idea fish, wake gently without an alarm after restful restorative sleep and immediately write the idea(s) on paper or your phone’s notes app. Don’t worry if an idea fish or two get away. Capture the ideas you can with no judgement—even if they seem like goofy ideas. (Have you ever seen a clown fish?) Use a net because you never know what affiliated ideas you’ll scoop up with the big idea fish. Then catch and release. While it’s vital to protect your own Intellectual Property, recognize that other people may have similar ideas later or even at the same time. Idea fish are serendipitous and may appear to other creatives anywhere in the world at any time. In fact, a variation of your own completely original idea may have already appeared to someone else at another time without your knowledge, so your challenge is to discover what is unique about the idea that targeted you. One final thought. Idea fish like calm water. A sure way to keep great ideas away is to respond to all of the noise, opinions and panic around you.  Instead, find your own peaceful pool between sleeping and waking, on a nature walk, or in the bath or shower. Then be patient. Idea fish will swim where they are welcome, often when you least expect them.