Another key benefit of being purposeful about the stimuli in your life is that you can direct your mind to begin working on problems before your need for ideas becomes urgent. For example, if there is a big project on the horizon that requires you to have an understanding of a specific topic, then it is a good idea to get a head start on the project by choosing stimuli that will lay the foundation for that understanding. You may want to do a little research to find the highest-rated or most recommended book on a particular subject. You may want to start reading a blog or two that covers emerging trends in this area and their cultural effects.
Our minds require time to do their best work, and the more of a head start and the healthier a perspective we can give them, the more likely it is that we will uncover novel and relevant patterns. Not only that, but the more grounded we are in the subject matter, the easier it is for us to discern relevant versus irrelevant data. It’s almost as if we gain a sixth sense about problem solving once we are deeply immersed in relevant stimuli.
There are three practices that I (Todd Henry) have found tremendously helpful for myself and for my clients in processing and assimilating information in a way that will be useful in the creative process. The practices, which are designed to instill rhythm and purpose into the stimuli we absorb, can be divided into three categories: cultivate, process, and experience.
* Source: The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry