How the Brain Suppresses Our Ideas and How to Prevent It

Based on the story of Courtney Seiter. This post is especially useful for writers—journalists, copywriters, and anyone with a creative hobby.

I have a lot of ideas in my head. And for the most part, that’s exactly where they stay—in my head. Where no one else can see them, interact with them, or influence them. Where they’re safe. Where no one can criticize them.

I’ve created something. Some people might say I’ve done a lot. But that’s only because they don’t know what I haven’t done. For example, this post was in my head for a whole month: I thought about it, waited, and nitpicked every little detail.

The most daring, breakthrough ideas are the easiest to bury in your mind. But that’s not right. They need to be captured and preserved, like exhibits in a museum. They should be everywhere: in your gadgets, notebooks, and even on scraps of paper scattered across your desk. While I felt creative, basking in my ideas, they died a lonely death because I did nothing with them. They never had a chance to bring something new into the world, to inspire someone, to make an impact.

I was losing. I didn’t push myself to dig deeper or challenge myself. I missed out on feedback and criticism. I lost the chance to discover something new, maybe even about myself.

I stopped before I even started.

That wasn’t the best life I could give my ideas—or myself. So I decided to change everything. I decided to get rid of everything that keeps me from bringing my ideas to life. I made a list of the most common things that get in the way of my ideas, and today I want to share it with you.

The Feeling of Incompleteness

The main thing that keeps us from acting on our ideas right away is the feeling that something’s missing. Maybe it’s not clear how to implement the idea, or we need more examples. My former editor called these “glimmers”—the spark of an idea when you feel you’re on the verge of something important. Sometimes you need time to turn that glimmer into a full idea, or to combine several glimmers into one.

The key is that these glimmers need your help. At this stage, ideas seem so helpless and incomplete that it’s hard to share them with others. What if your idea is misunderstood or turns out to be hopeless?

How to fix it: It may sound paradoxical, but this early stage is actually the best time to test your idea. For example, write a social media post about it. If you get criticism, that’s okay—it can help you find weak spots or let go of the idea if it’s not working, and move in a new direction.

Because It’s So Hard

Even though I’ve been writing most of my life, it’s never come easily. Sometimes the right words just appear, but more often I have to force them out. Sometimes I don’t want to struggle at all. Sometimes I just want to lie down and watch TV.

I hate writing. I love having written.
— Dorothy Parker

How to deal with it: The best solution is just to start. It doesn’t matter where or how—just start. Once I write a headline, some notes, or even just the first sentence, the process gets easier. You can also set a goal: spend 20 minutes focused only on writing. Usually, that kind of focus works in your favor, and the creative process speeds up.

Because We Spend Too Much Time on Other People’s Ideas

I’ve always loved reading. I still read a lot, thanks to my e-reader. I also read Twitter, RSS feeds, and print newspapers.

When I read good material, it makes me happy.

But if I’m not careful, all that content can paralyze me: it can feel like every idea has already been thought of, and everything worth writing has already been written. It’s like imposter syndrome.

How to deal with it: We should always read and learn from outstanding work by others. But we also need to create our own, even if it’s inspired by what others have done. Each of us should try to find the right balance between consuming and creating. Let others’ work inspire you, not make you feel inadequate. In the end, everything is a remix.

Because We’re Too Busy with Other Things

Right now, as I type this sentence, I realize what a weak excuse this is. Of course, like everyone else, you have a ton of things to do at work and at home. But we always find time for what matters to us. We can wake up earlier or go to bed later. We can turn off the TV and stop wasting time. We all have the same number of hours in a day, and it’s up to us to use them wisely—so we can work on what helps us reach our goals.

How to deal with it: First, I check my to-do list and see when I can write. Is this task at the very bottom of my priorities? Often, the schedule is so packed that daily chores and work issues block the creative process. I can write on weekends or in the mornings before checking email.

If I really am too busy to bring an idea to life, it’s okay to give it to someone else. Sometimes, you have to think not just about yourself, but about the idea—which might otherwise be lost.

Because We Get Distracted

From the moment I decided to write this article to the moment I actually wrote it, here’s what happened: I walked the dog, had breakfast, thought about buying a new rug, checked Twitter, and read two articles. And this wasn’t an unproductive day—this is my normal day. We will always get distracted. It’s a constant in the world we live in.

How to deal with it: I’ve experimented with a lot of ideas and finally realized that people need deadlines (whether set by someone else or by themselves) to focus better.

I also try to distinguish between productive distractions (like walking the dog, which often leads to new ideas) and unproductive distractions (like constantly checking Twitter and Facebook, which is often unnecessary and counterproductive).

Because We’re Afraid

Finally, we come to the big, important problem that often underlies all the others. The main reason my ideas live only in my head and not in the real world is fear. I’m afraid they’re not good enough. I’m afraid they’re not new. I’m afraid they’re not unique. Strangely, many people find it easier to abandon an idea forever than to accept that it might fail or not bring the desired result.

Think about it: if we approached everything in life with this attitude, we’d never start anything and would miss out on so much. Risk is what makes life interesting. Fortunately, these days you don’t have to implement your idea alone—you can work in a team. Teamwork is a great way to get constant feedback, see your idea through someone else’s eyes, and hear other opinions. If you can’t work in a team, try to find someone knowledgeable in your field to ask for advice.

How to deal with it: Of course, it’s hard to come up with a perfect formula, but I try, and this post is one such attempt. Here are the rules I’ve come up with so far:

• Don’t stick to just one creative niche—be creative in general. My house is now covered in doodled sheets of paper, even though I’m not much of an artist. But that’s okay. Set a goal to spend as much time as possible on creativity, even if things don’t go perfectly at first.
• Share your creativity with others. I used to never hit the “Publish” button. But now you’re reading this post. Show your work to people—start by asking family members for feedback, and it will get easier from there.
• Make time just for thinking, when your mind is free from tasks and worries. That’s when the best ideas come. Walk your dog, ride a bike, or just wander alone.
• Allow yourself to ask others for help. There’s nothing shameful about it, but like most people, it took me a long time to accept this. When you’re open to others, you get constant feedback and can improve your skills.

Of course, the comfort zone is a nice place, but if you really want to create something exciting, you need to step out of it more often.