This lesson dives into the intricate process of how creative ideas come to fruition, offering insights into the unseen principles that govern their emergence and providing practical strategies for leveraging this knowledge. Unlike generic advice such as "think outside the box," this lesson offers a technical understanding of the various forms of new ideas. It explores the concept of idea seeds, categorising them into eight distinct types and shedding light on their significance in fostering creativity. From goal-directed prota to social alla, each type offers a unique perspective on how creativity can be sparked and nurtured. By gaining a deeper understanding of these idea seeds, individuals and businesses can unlock new avenues for generating and developing innovative concepts, ultimately enhancing their creative potential and driving meaningful change.
This lesson serves a dual purpose: it provides some of the unseen principles of how creative ideas spring into life, presenting unique conclusions about its workings. And it points to how to exploit this knowledge for practical use so you and your business can have more and better initial sparks creativity.
The idea is not to give you general notions such as “think outside the box” or “be open-minded” but rather to give you a technical understanding of the different forms of new idea.
The crucial thing to understand is that there are two fundamental ways to generate new ideas in terms of what you could call the “generative context,” whether you are an individual or a business.
What you didn’t know is that you use one of them 99% of the time and the other 1% of the time at best.
There are eight ways to generate new ideas, referred to here as idea seeds. They divide into type 1, which is what everyone normally does, and types 2-7, which people rarely do but which have given rise to some of the greatest ideas in history.
The prota, derived from the Greek word protos (meaning "first" or "earliest"), represents by far the most common type of goal-directed seed in creativity. The vast majority of initial ideas are crafted—or roughly outlined—to address a specific problem or challenge. These prota act like prototype concepts that need further development to achieve a consciously identified goal.
The reason prota are so common is firstly that it is the intuitive or logical way it seems to most of us. Secondly, it’s what you are taught to do because of what could be called the modern obsession with goals. The importance of having a clearly defined goal is virtually taken-for-granted in most fields, especially business, and of course it makes a lot of sense. We have tasks to accomplish and objectives to meet. We strive for certain outcomes, need to solve problems, and make a living, naturally resulting in most idea seeds being goal-oriented.
A remarkable example of a prota is the improvised device that saved the Apollo 13 crew in 1970. After a major malfunction forced NASA to abandon the original moon mission, the crew faced a life-threatening issue: the Lunar Module (LM) could not filter out enough carbon dioxide. Engineers on the ground needed to adapt the Command Module's (CM) lithium hydroxide canisters, which were square, to fit the LM's round openings—a real-life challenge of fitting a square peg into a round hole. Using only available materials, they created a device, nicknamed "the mailbox," out of duct tape, the flight manual cover, and other basic equipment. This innovative solution, which combined high-tech engineering with basic ingenuity, saved the crew and became a celebrated example of creative problem-solving.
Two other famous instances of creative insight are Sir Isaac Newton’s falling apple and Archimedes’ "Eureka!" moment.
Newton’s story, possibly apocryphal, involves him observing an apple falling and developing the theory of gravity—a concept he had been contemplating. While the apple falling wasn't creative itself, Newton's insight into gravity was counterintuitive: he realised the Earth also moved slightly to meet the apple. This initial insight (prota) led to one of the most significant scientific breakthroughs in history.
Similarly, Archimedes’ discovery while bathing—that the volume of water displaced equals the volume of his submerged body—provided a solution for measuring the irregularly shaped votive crown's volume. This counterintuitive realisation (prota) led to the creative idea of determining the crown's density and detecting the goldsmith's fraud.
Both examples illustrate how everyday observations can transform into profound insights when approached from a counterintuitive angle.
Generating good prota can be challenging due to the constraints of focusing on a specific problem, which can limit creative thinking. This highlights the exceptional achievement of the Apollo 13 engineers, who overcame intense pressure to devise a creative solution.
Other forms of idea seeds, however, are less constrained by such limitations.
The next type of idea seed is the verta, which refers to a repurposed idea seed. Initially created for a specific purpose (a prota), the verta ends up being used for a different one. The term verta comes from the Latin word "verto," meaning to exchange, turn, or translate.
Consider bubble wrap. In 1957, Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes attempted to create a unique kind of wallpaper with three-dimensional properties. Their design involved transparent plastic containing regularly spaced air bubbles. This unusual structural concept was a prota, but it failed as wallpaper. However, its createmic character allowed it to be developed into something else. Fielding and Chavannes then tried to repurpose it as greenhouse insulation, turning the original idea into a verta, though that didn't work out either. Finally, in 1960, they found a successful use for it as protective packaging material. Had they initially aimed to innovate a packaging product, they likely wouldn't have developed bubble wrap due to the constraints steering them towards more conventional solutions. Repurposing the idea allowed for a fresh perspective, resulting in a truly creative outcome.
Another example of a verta is the Slinky toy. In 1943, mechanical engineer Richard James was developing springs to support and stabilize delicate equipment on ships during rough seas. His designs were prota, intended for this specific problem. One day, a spring fell off a shelf, and James noticed that it arced end-over-end in a pleasing manner as it landed. Realizing a child might enjoy this, his prota instantly became a verta, and he began working on a new prototype for a toy. Within a year or two, James and his wife Betty, who named the device, launched the Slinky onto the market, where it quickly became wildly popular and recognized as a creative innovation.
The first two types of idea seeds, the prota and the verta, are always created with a specific purpose, problem, or challenge in mind. Their origins are shaped by consciously relevant factors. In contrast, the other types of idea seeds are not deliberately produced for any specific purpose.
The first of these is called the luda, or the playful idea seed. Luda are created simply because they seem interesting and the process of developing them is intrinsically rewarding. The term luda comes from the Latin word "ludo," which means to play.
A classic example of a luda is the aeolipile, described by Hero of Alexandria, a Greco-Egyptian mathematician and engineer from the 1st century CE. The aeolipile was the first known steam engine or reaction steam turbine. It involved a cylindrical or spherical vessel containing water that, when heated, produced steam to rotate the vessel as the steam escaped from nozzles on either side. Hero didn't provide any specific purpose for this device, making it a playful exploration of an interesting concept. Although such machines later powered the industrial revolution, Hero's device was initially a playful creation with no practical application in mind.
Luda are also common among songwriters. While some songs are written with a specific subject in mind, many musicians experiment with notes, chords, electronic sounds, or acoustic effects purely out of artistic curiosity. For instance, Jack White of the White Stripes described how he came up with the riff for "Seven Nation Army" spontaneously during a soundcheck in Australia. Despite initial indifference from others, this playful experimentation led to one of the band’s most famous and influential songs.
Often, luda seem to arise out of nowhere. In a 1955 letter to W.H. Auden, J.R.R. Tolkien recounted how he spontaneously wrote the opening line of "The Hobbit" while correcting exam papers. This idea, unplanned and seemingly unconnected to any specific task, eventually led to the creation of a significant literary work and the expansive Middle Earth universe.
This process, where a thought appears unbidden, is termed autogenesis, meaning generated by the self. While many luda are autogenic, others emerge from methodical and intentional work. For example, Henri Matisse, while recovering from surgery in 1943, began creating simple cut-out artworks with scissors and colored paper. This new technique, which he initially explored without a specific goal, eventually evolved into a celebrated art form.
In science, luda are less common due to budgetary and time constraints and the goal-directed nature of scientific work. However, there are notable exceptions. Norwegian physicist Andreas Wahl, for example, filmed an underwater experiment in 2016 to demonstrate how water density affects a bullet's trajectory, purely out of curiosity.
A particularly valuable example of a luda is the discovery of graphene by Professors Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov. During their "Friday night experiments" at the University of Manchester in 2004, they used Scotch tape to peel layers from graphite, eventually producing a single atom-thick layer. This playful experiment led to groundbreaking research in a new material with numerous applications, earning them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010.
Research by Finke, Ward, and Smith supports the value of luda in creative thought. Their experiments showed that while purpose-driven ideas (prota) led to practical solutions, playful, pre-inventive forms (luda) were rated as more imaginative and creative. This suggests that a lack of immediate purpose can reduce constraining effects and foster greater creativity.
Idea seeds can be abstract concepts, whether verbal or nonverbal. The key is the shift from an intuitive to a counterintuitive state. For instance, a question addressing a specific problem is a prota, while a question arising independently of a specific problem, or unrelated to the task at hand, is a luda.
A capta is an idea seed that emerges from noticing something unexpected or viewing something in a new way. This type of insight occurs without a deliberate search or playful effort to create something new. Instead, it happens when someone stumbles upon an intriguing observation that they can later develop into a creative idea.
One notable example is Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral in 1941. While walking in the Alps with his dog, he noticed that burdock burrs clung stubbornly to his clothes and his dog’s fur. Examining the burrs under a microscope, he saw that they had hundreds of tiny hooks that latched onto loops in fabric and fur. This observation led him to invent Velcro, for which he received a patent in 1955. Although De Mestral had a background in inventing, it was his noticing this counterintuitive natural phenomenon that sparked the creation of Velcro.
Such sudden insights, triggered by noticing something new and counterintuitive, are known as capta. The term capta derives from the Latin word "capio," meaning to take, capture, seize, or catch.
In the spring of 1946, American engineer Percy Spencer discovered the heating effects of microwaves accidentally. While working on a radar project, he noticed that a peanut bar in his pocket had melted due to high-frequency radio emissions from a magnetron. Intrigued, he experimented further, leading to the invention of the microwave oven. Although others had observed similar effects, it was Spencer who connected the dots and developed a practical application.
Paul Simon's song "Mother and Child Reunion," released in 1972, illustrates another example of capta. The song's title came from a dish he noticed in a Chinese restaurant, humorously named for its combination of chicken and eggs. This observation inspired Simon to write the song.
Salvador Dali’s iconic painting "The Persistence of Memory" was inspired by a similar moment of capta. Observing melting camembert cheese on a sunny day, Dali envisioned the melting clocks that became the centerpiece of his famous artwork.
One of the most famous examples in science is the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928. Returning from a holiday, Fleming noticed that a mould contaminating his bacterial cultures was killing the bacteria. Instead of discarding the contaminated dish, he investigated further and realized the mould's potential as an antibiotic. This capta led to the development of penicillin, revolutionizing medicine and leading to mass production of antibiotics in the 1940s.
"A great poet ... is a man who, in his waking state, is able to do what the rest of us do in our dreams," wrote the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. Another type of idea seed is the oneira—the dreamed idea seed. This type is the least intentional; it happens while you are asleep and unconscious. The evocative nature of their origin has led to numerous historical anecdotes of great ideas emerging from dreams in various cultural fields.
The term oneira comes from the Greek word "óneiron," meaning dream. The scientific study of dreams is referred to as oneirology, and those interested in exploring their dream world use the term oneironaut to describe the dreamer, akin to a traveller through dream space.
Paul McCartney once told the New York Times, "I’m a great believer in dreams. I’m a great rememberer of dreams." This belief is fitting, as one of the Beatles' greatest songs, "Yesterday," was conceived in a dream. McCartney woke up with a melody in his head and immediately went to his piano to ensure he remembered it. Initially, he used placeholder lyrics, "Scrambled eggs/Oh my baby how I love your legs/Not as much as I love scrambled eggs." Convinced he might have unconsciously borrowed the tune, he spent about a month asking people in the music business if they recognized it. When no one claimed it, he refined the song, which became a classic and one of the most covered songs in music history.
Similarly, Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" was inspired by a dream. His wife, Fanny, reported that Stevenson woke up one night from cries of horror. When she awakened him, he angrily exclaimed, "Why did you wake me? I was dreaming a fine bogey tale," having been disturbed during a pivotal transformation scene in his dream.
Modern literary titan Stephen King also embraces his dreams as a source of inspiration. He once said: "[When] I got road-blocked in my novel It, I had a dream about leeches inside discarded refrigerators. I immediately woke up and thought, ‘That is where this is supposed to go.’ Dreams are just another part of life. To me, it’s like seeing something on the street you can use in your fiction. You take it and plug it right in. Writers are scavengers by nature."
L. Frank Baum’s children’s book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" features a key character inspired by a recurring childhood nightmare of being chased by a scarecrow.
Even scientists benefit from this source of ideas. In the early 1900s, German physiologist Otto Loewi conceived the idea that nerve impulses might be transmitted chemically. Years later, he dreamt of an experiment design to test this hypothesis. He awoke, jotted down notes, and later conducted a successful experiment on a frog heart, eventually proving his theory and winning the Nobel Prize in 1936.
German chemist August Kekulé discovered the ring-like structure of the benzene molecule in a dream in 1865. He later wrote about seeing atoms gamboling before his eyes, and one forming a snake that seized its own tail, leading him to the structure of benzene. In a speech to the German Chemical Society in 1890, Kekulé advised, "Learn to dream, gentlemen."
Dmitri Mendeleev conceived the periodic table of elements in a dream in 1867, seeing a table where all elements fell into place as required. Upon waking, he immediately wrote it down.
Technological innovations can also emerge from oneira. In the nineteenth century, Elias Howe invented the first modern lockstitch sewing machine after dreaming of savages with spears that had holes near the tips, leading to the idea of placing the needle's eye at the point.
The category of oneira includes all manner of altered states of consciousness. Anthropologists Michele Stephen and Gilbert Herdt describe these states as "autonomous imagination," encompassing dreams, waking visions, hallucinations, and more, experienced as taking place outside the self yet accessible to it.
Writer-director James Cameron came up with the idea for "The Terminator" while experiencing a fever dream. Similarly, Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein" arose from a vivid reverie while staying with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley by Lake Geneva.
Narcotics have also played a role in creative ideas. Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic poem "Kubla Khan" emerged from an opium-fuelled dream. Jazz greats like John Coltrane and Charlie Parker, and writer William Burroughs, were known for their use of substances. The 1960s counterculture, driven by drugs, led to ground-breaking creativity, such as the Beatles' evolution from marijuana (their "pot album" Rubber Soul) to LSD, resulting in their psychedelic masterpieces.
Some of the most powerful creative ideas arise from our past experiences. These memories, whether positive or negative, can be transformed into compelling works of art. Scottish writer, actor, and comedian Richard Gadd's hit TV show "Baby Reindeer" is a prime example. The show is based on Gadd’s real-life experiences of being stalked and sexually harassed, experiences that were never intended for creative use but later became the foundation of a gripping narrative.
This is the memora: the remembered seed. This is an idea that begins life as a stored memory of an experience you had of something. Memora comes from the Latin "memor" meaning “mindful" or "remembering.”
Creative individuals frequently draw upon their personal memories to inspire new projects or enhance ongoing ones. Memories that stand out as unique and counterintuitive—such as those that are traumatic, shocking, ecstatic, bizarre, or extraordinary—tend to be particularly potent in generating creative outcomes. These memories, imbued with strong emotions and vivid details, serve as rich material for creative expression. For instance, the deeply unfortunate experience of being stalked and sexually harassed as a man is precisely the kind of memory that can fuel significant creative potential, transforming personal pain into a universal story that resonates with others.
Consider the case of Frida Kahlo, whose iconic paintings often depicted her physical and emotional suffering, transforming her personal pain into powerful and universally relatable art. Similarly, Maya Angelou’s "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" draws heavily on her traumatic childhood experiences, creating a poignant and influential memoir. These examples illustrate how remembered experiences, even those that are deeply painful, can be harnessed to create meaningful and impactful art that speaks to a wide audience.
Frequently creative ideas come out of thoughts and feelings that are not necessarily attached to any memory—anything you actually did or experienced. Rather, they emerge from something that is just meaningful to you. This idea seed is the significa, deriving from the Latin "significar"—to mean or signify.
In a sense, all memora are significa too but the term significa is reserved for those thoughts and feelings that were not directly experienced by you. For example, if you imagine yourself on a beach in the future while building your vision board as part of a drive to manifest the life you want, this idea could be used as a significa. If you are obsessed with a certain kind of political principle, something it would be hard to recall in any concrete way, that could be a significa. If you're scared of extreme heights, such as standing atop a skyscraper and looking down, but you never actually did that, this could be a significa.
The final type of idea seed is the alla, a term derived from the Greek word "állos," meaning "other." This concept is found in terms like "alloparenting," which describes situations where an individual provides parental care to offspring that are not their own.
Some ideas do not originate within our own minds but come from others. These ideas are the least intentionally constructed by the person who utilizes them because they were initially formed elsewhere. This category of ideas can emerge through various means, including theft and collaboration.
Theft of ideas is a well-documented phenomenon in the creative world. The adage “Bad artists copy, good artists steal,” attributed to various artists like Picasso, T.S. Eliot, Igor Stravinsky, William Faulkner, and W.H. Davenport Adams, underscores the reality that many celebrated creative products have been appropriated from others. For instance, the television, the Monopoly board game, Jack Daniel's Whiskey, the steamboat, and lasers are all examples of innovations either known or suspected to have been borrowed or outright stolen from their original creators. This form of idea acquisition, while ethically questionable, has undeniably contributed to significant advancements and creative breakthroughs.
On a more positive note, social idea seeds can also emerge from collaboration. In these cases, ideas are shared and developed collectively, leading to innovative outcomes that might not have been possible individually. Collaboration brings together diverse perspectives and expertise, fostering an environment where creativity can thrive. The Beatles, for example, were renowned for their collaborative songwriting process, which combined the talents of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr to create some of the most influential music of the 20th century.
In the scientific realm, the discovery of the structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick is another example of collaborative innovation. Their breakthrough was made possible by building on the work of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins, illustrating how shared knowledge and teamwork can lead to monumental discoveries. This collaborative spirit is also evident in the tech industry, where companies like Google and Apple thrive on the collective contributions of their teams to drive innovation and create cutting-edge products.
In essence, the social idea seed highlights the importance of looking beyond oneself to find inspiration, whether through ethical collaboration or the more controversial act of borrowing ideas. Both methods underscore the interconnected nature of creativity and the value of diverse contributions in the pursuit of innovation.
Understanding the diverse nature of idea seeds and their role in the creative process is essential for unlocking innovation and driving progress. From goal-directed prota to social alla, each type offers valuable insights into how creative ideas originate and evolve. By embracing a holistic approach to creativity and exploring the full spectrum of idea seeds, individuals and businesses can cultivate a rich environment for idea generation and collaboration. By leveraging this knowledge, we can harness the power of creativity to tackle challenges, spark innovation, and shape a brighter future.