Where do invention ideas come from? Everywhere! If interested in creating a killer invention but have no idea where to start, don’t panic. Your next big idea could hit you while riding the train to work or spending an evening playing board games with friends. The trick is training your brain to “think like an inventor”!
Necessity
The old saying “necessity is the mother of invention” is true for a reason. One of the most common invention “sources,” many ideas are born due to necessity. A person has an idea for a product they need–one that’s practical and highly useful. Invention design or ideas don’t have to be complicated, rather most simply solve “everyday problems.” Finding a practical solution to an issue is how many inventors make millions.
Observation
Another way ideas come to brilliant life is through observation. Watching people–whether at work, in public or at home–and observing their “struggles” with certain tasks or problems frequently results in invention ideas. You may even hear a friend, family member or relative stranger remark, “I wish there was a product for [x],” causing you to brainstorm your next big idea.
Writing Everything Down
Dedicating a notebook to your invention ideas is key for many reasons, including patenting your product. This notebook also serves as an excellent invention idea source. Because you’re writing everything down, no matter how trite or “silly” it seems, you have a resource you can turn to at anytime. What first seemed like a “dumb idea” may later be a huge moneymaker with a little fine-tuning. Don’t dismiss any idea you have–write it down!
Additional Tips
Flexibility is essential when coming up with an invention idea, as is allowing yourself to think outside the proverbial box. The more you open your mind to the possibility of inventions, the more likely everything around you will generate ideas. Keeping practicality in mind also helps–most people are interested in products that benefit or enhance their lives in some way, not gimmicks. Remember to stay positive and be persistent–you may think of a new invention tonight or tomorrow morning!
