Brainstorming is an important part of tackling any goal in life, whether it is creating a new business, coming up with a new product, or generating ideas that will win our contest. We have decided to post some suggestions on how you can tap into your creative mind, generating oodles of great ideas, just by brainstorming.

First, make sure that you are in an environment in which you feel comfortable and can think clearly. Some people get better ideas when they are surrounded by chaos, while others find their greatest ideas while brainstorming in the middle of a silent forest. Proceed to whichever place you feel will allow you to create the most spectacular brainstorming ideas. Bring along at least two pens and five sheets of paper. Do not bring a pencil as you never want to erase ideas that you have while brainstorming. If I could make a prediction, I would say that you are the type of person who wants everything to appear perfect and brainstorming is about getting all of your ideas down on paper, not perfection. Do not cross out or erase anything as there is no such thing as a dumb idea when you are brainstorming. This needs to be a pen to paper method as the left brain creating the script on the page and the right brain thinking up the thoughts generates whole brain synchronization which leads to the best brainstorming sessions. Remember that brainstorming is about unleashing the creative mind. Do not correct spelling or grammar as you go, just write, write, and write some more!

One of my favorite methods for brainstorming is to try to look into the future and make imaginary predictions about what people will be doing, seeing, and using ten years from now. This works especially well when I am trying to come up with new products or ideas like the one that you are submitting to our contest! Now, put your pen at the top of a sheet of paper, close your eyes, take five or ten deep breaths, and start writing words, or drawing pictures. Write or draw whatever ideas come to your mind. You can write the ideas down with your eyes open, but make sure to close them again once the stream of ideas stops. Imagine that you are in the future going about your daily activities and someone asks you to borrow something, or that you run into a problem and come up with a way to solve that problem with a new invention. Continue to write until you feel that you are completely out of ideas. Force yourself to sit in your chosen spot and write out any ideas that come to mind, regardless of whether they are related to your specific project or not, for at least ten minutes. Do not fail to write down any ideas that come to mind or your mind may become stuck on that particular thought. If you are thinking about your midterms, or how you have to do laundry, write it down and move on; this method will keep the ideas flowing. Remember that you can always cross-out unrelated ideas out later.

Now that you have your initial brainstorming ideas on paper go back and read through what you have written. If any new ideas pop into your mind jot them down. Write down any expansionary thoughts that you have about the ideas that you have already generated as well. Generating predictions about brilliant future products and services can seem daunting, but I guarantee that a few of these ideas will jump out at you as you are rereading them, and expansionary thoughts will come easily.

The elimination process will seem easier now that some ideas have no expansionary thoughts, and some have two or more. Lightly cross out those that have fewer ideas and circle or highlight those that contain many additional thoughts. Go back through the ideas that you have just circled and close your eyes again. Note if any additional thoughts or words drop into your conscious. Continue to do this until one of the ideas really stands out at you as spectacular. Write this idea out in the appropriate format whether that be a creative paper, business proposal, or another format. Do not forget to submit your best ideas to our contest! We look forward to seeing the great ideas generated by our readers.