The Art of Listening

What is an idea? 

What does it take to have one? 

Creative ideas and inspiration have been talked about a lot. And it’s a mysterious process that has the greatest amount of literature written about it. But how do you know a good idea from a bad one? What if the world is full of thousands of possibilities?Whom do you turn to if you have to go from none to many?

Listening to everyone:

Sometimes, we listen to everybody, in doing so, it necessitates a submission of one’s own ideas in favour of simply listening to what others might also have-to contribute to a certain idea. The reason this may happen are many- one, because it is a co-authoured space, the story writing itself, can come from any source, a hybrid of sorts- the people involved are either contributing by adding to, subtracting from or listening. Listening is the art of communication, highly revered -for it brings about from the depth, great ideas to the fore- The art of listening can be extolled into further variations, as can the art of drawing out ideas from people who are the productive, output phase of creativity.People- who are a composite of thoughts taking shape. A conglomerate that needs a constant- a pall bearer always out at the front, leading, and cheering on others to come- take a look. 

The same people, in a creative and brainstorming team, may wear these masks and interchange them in turn- which is also a place where and when the brief meets the right creative juices, for a certain business proposition.

Listening to no one:

Sometimes, any creative person, will relate to this- going off alone, to sit still, in one’s own ideas and examine them as against those of others, in comparing oneself- and listening to only what arises from comparing one’s ideas and styles to those of others, we get a sub-composite- a body of work, which can inform us of how to proceed from inspiration and take ideas further into a groove- called “ Creative hooding”. A creative hood, around one’s head, a walk about town, often alone, can show many insights- for example, only by walking out on my own could I corroborate ideas, or come up with new ones to spark a new thought. A new observation about an event taking place, people busily organizing chairs and tables for an event sparked off an idea for a car retailer's event- take everything down to its parts and exhibit them, in a machine art sort of way. Walking away can take you places with possibilities, to ponder and think about- and creative ideas can well pop out of doing so.

In the end, what matters is if you have your ears to the ground, and whether or not you are listening to yourself or the people around you, listen to the hint, the clue and the answers will appear.