What if you are in a creative dip?

You don’t know what to do, what to write, what to create.

Creativity is like a muscle, you have to train it.

If you want to be a good runner, well you run on a regular base. If you want to be a writer, well you write every day…

You get the picture…

But how do you train general creativity or inspiration on a regular base?

I use these tools to ignite inspiration:

1) Write down 10 ideas a day.

Credit to James Altucher for this one, here is a link to his blog post on becoming an idea machine

Every single day write down 10 ideas.  No matter what subject.

Can be ideas for your business, blog posts, things to surprise your partner, crazy recipes you want to try.

Even 10 ideas about 10 idealists is a good one I often use. ?

The first couple of days are easy, when it starts to get hard to get to 10 ideas, then you are training that idea muscle.

Try it, it works.

It changes something in your brain. You are training your brain to pay attention to problems and ideas how to solve them.

2) Change your environment

This one seems a no-brainer but has its pitfalls.

People have been going on travels for centuries to find inspiration.

However, you don’t always have to go to exotic places to find new inspiration.

I often caught myself when I’m in a location for longer periods of time, that I’m always working in the same location or getting too much into a routine.

Now I consciously change my routine.

I take my laptop a go find a new place to work, a new coffee shop, a library in a new town.  Whatever, new environment, new people will inspire you.

3) Doodle

As kids, we were punished when we were doodling in the classroom.


I believe doodling surfaces ideas from the subconscious mind.

Here is a good TED video about Doodling.


4) Increase BDNF

BDNF is short for Brain Derived Nootropic Factor.

Nootropics are substances that make your brain work better.  I will do a post on nootropics soon and post a link here.

Brain-Derived Nootropic Factor is as-it-says a nootropic your brain makes naturally.

You can stimulate BDNF with exercise.

“Conscious movements” like yoga or doing things with your non-dominant hand stimulate the production of BDNF.

5) Sleep

Really hard to be creative when you are tired.

Get those 8 hours of sleep.

Use Biohacks to improve your sleep quality.