Good morning. My brain is buzzing. I have too much creative energy. There are a thousand possible project ideas fighting for my attention all crammed in at the prow of my brain. They all want in the lifeboat NOW. How do I calm the situation? I want to save them all and make them real before they fade. This may seem a little brutal as far as metaphors go, but it’s a dog-eat-dog world in my brain, it’s every idea for itself. I only have so much electricity in there and they can't all come to fruition. It’s sad, but “cycle of life” sad rather than the weepy tragedy kind.
I know that the ideas are not all good, (if any of them are) so how do I choose? I have no idea. My first impulse is to turn my back and go limp. It has worked in the past. Who can I still hear when my back is turned and I’m in no way trying to choose? The diorama? The embroidery project? The musical? The song about my dog? (ok I’m already singing that loudly on autopilot and it isn’t meant for ears outside this house.)
Well, there is no cut and dried answer, it’s kinda like a proximity game. What one is nearest and most possible? Which one is loudest? Which one is too expensive? Which one is too much of a time commitment for my ADHD? Which one looks like an actual job? Which one makes me feel calm. These are the questions that spawn tons of lists, which fracture off into even more lists. They become a history class time line of what might be a good idea. This sounds impossible and ill fitting but it’s kinda fun to piece together. You are sort of making a job interview for your ideas that way. My favorite outcome is when you get a really good solid ideas that can spawn side projects about that idea… that’s when shit gets real.
How do you grow and feed your ideas?
I appreciate your comment on ADHD when it comes to projects. I too struggle with this, I'm excited to start but not so excited to finish the project. I grow my ideas by constantly feeding my brain with content with great articles like this! As a perfectionist, I have to force myself to complete a project, even if I'm not in love with it. It's mindful grease that helps keep the creative brain cogs turning.
As a fellow profuse polymathic ADHD-having dog-based-song-writer I’ve rarely identified so much with someone talking about ideas. Mine swarm too, and I panic about catching them before they fade and making them real before some part of me decides they’re impossible. As for “good” ideas, you know, I think we have our inklings but that can really only be judged in hindsight. As a longtime consumer of the ideas of yours that do get to be real, I think they’re all pretty f*cking good.