I have a problem, a really big problem actually. I get too many ideas and 99% of them are really bad. I know that it might sound like 1st world problem but it can get challenging when there is just too many.
So my challenge is not to create new ideas. I just get so many ideas that I need constant support to qualify which ones are usable and which ones are trash. After all, they are my ideas and surely I do think that they all are great.
So in order to fix this, I have created myself a 5 step system:
1. Find the spot where your thoughts can “breath and air out”. For me that is at the gym, in the stretching room. I just lie on the floor and think about stuff. Maybe this is not the way how to go to the gym but for me it is a great way to organise my thoughts.
2. Write all of your ideas on your phone. For this one I like to use either Evernote or the memo of the phone. I just write everything down in bullet points and not really then forget it.
3. Return to your ideas the next day and see if it still makes sense. If so, try to think a bit further.
4. Find a trustworthy somebody to bounce the ideas with who does not say as the first thing “well that sounds stupid!” or so. For me this person is my wife and couple of my friends.
5. If the feedback is positive, find people to join you and develop the idea further to something that can be done. Your idea might develop to a direction what you did not expect but I´ve always said that ideas are worth of nothing, only execution counts.
I have heard way too many times somebody saying “I had exactly the same idea just a year ago” when a new successful startup comes up. So my advice for you is that next time when you get an idea, just do something about it! Otherwise you will regret it for the rest of your life.