I borrow an idea from the advertising world and it’s called a Swipe file. It’s a pretty simple idea – just write down the idea, the website name, the book name, or whatever and keep it so you can refer back to it. So do I have a messy pile of scrap paper and curled up Post It’s in the corner of my office? Yeah, sometimes, but I regularly sort them and put them in a folder.I have a blank form that I transfer, staple, or stick the original notes to. I refer to my folder regularly and I’m always surprised how a solution manifests from the least likely connections.

So why should you collect ideas. Here are a few reasons that spring to mind, though I’m sure there are plenty more.

• It prompts you to think differently about the things you see and hear.
• It allows you to look at seemingly unrelated things and make a connection.

See thinkinghow.com for more ideas and resources.