How do I get new ideas?

To answer the general question of "how do I get new ideas", I suggest the following.

Look around for a problem to solve (they're EVERYWHERE), and using your knowledge and experience, solve it. If the idea doesn't seem to have been worked on much, then you may have a new idea.

If you want to know what I mean by "find a problem to solve", I have some suggestions there as well. In your daily life, look around for tasks that could be solved in a better way. You can also look for situations that irritate you, and come up with different ways to alleviate the issue.

I like to use the "infinite sandbox" method of solving problems, i.e. "If I had infinite time and infinite resources, how would I solve the problem?" Sky's the limit

For example: I was in a McDonalds drive-thru, looking at an overfull garbage can, and while I was waiting, decided to work out ways to either alert people inside the store that it was full and needed cleaning, or a way for it to clean itself automatically, e.g. an underground store for trash and a method to move the trash down there when full.

Hope this helps. Lemme know if anyone has suggestions for tweaking this.

On work

Profit requires either trickery or work, and the former is usually illegal and/or immoral.

Working solely on a subject matter is not enough. Working for exposure is also required. Thus, I estimate a career is 70% work on the subject, and 30% work exposing it to others.

Ideas to increase personal productivity

If you want to be less lazy, you need to periodically get up even if you don't want to, and do something. You may need your significant other or an alarm to reminder yourself.

To be more productive, make a productive space to work in. When you are in that space, work hard. If you stop working, leave the space. That will help train yourself to work in that space.

Also, make that space a professional space. Make it like a serious art studio or company desk. Being in a professional environment makes you feel professional, and work becomes more enjoyable.

Not being a pitchfork in the mob

From my internet wanderings, I observe that people love a punching bag. If they find a person that has erred, they will continue to punch the bag over and over, possibly because it makes them feel better, and particularly if they don't have to see the person's face, get their reaction, and if the person is someone "easy to hate".

Point out the initial flaw, and maybe discuss how to avoid the flaw, and then leave the subject alone. Joining the mob in spitting on someone just harkens back to darker days.

Record memorable moments

If you're in a great mood, you should record how you feel so that when you're not feeling in a great mood, you can relive the good feeling experience and possibly lift your spirits.

In case of mental lightning, take extended notes

Going from the hypothesis that you can get mentally psyched up to work on a project if you remember why you're doing the project in the first place, you need to crystalize that motivation into something you can pull on many times.

One way is, when you get an idea you really want to work on, you write down why you want to work on it, and elaborate. The idea is to be able to go back to this note and get excited enough to continue work on the project, even if the work you need to do is mundane.

Hypothesis on priming your creativity

I've worked out a hypothesis on how to get motivated to work on projects. The idea is to prime the creative pump before you start working.

In some cases, an initial idea or creative spark is what starts a project, something that excites or motivates you to start the project. This will wear off after a short amount of time, but can be revisited after awhile.

To help get your interest going on a project each day, make note of that initial spark and motivation, and recall it before starting work. That should get your mind and creativity flowing, and the work will flow more easily.

Atmospheric things like background music or work area setting can help as well, e.g. a certain song gets you in the mood, or having a certain shade of light helps you get into the right frame of mind.

Feel free to discuss or refine this hypothesis.