How I find ideas for videos when it feels like everything's been done
Hey, Ivan here again. In my last article, I asked what you were most interested in reading, and some of you messaged me directly: "Tell us how you actually come up with what to film." The honest answer is, I have days when my mind is a complete blank, too. But over time, I've developed a system that saves me in those moments. Here's exactly how it works.
The Myth of the 'Stroke of Genius'
I used to think ideas were supposed to strike like a flash of inspiration. You sit, you think—and there it is. In reality, that's happened maybe twice in my entire career. Everything else is the result of consistent, sometimes tedious, work. And while that might sound less inspiring, it's a lot more honest.
My Idea Bank: A Core Habit
The single most important thing I ever did was create a dedicated note in my phone called "Ideas." Everything goes in there: a stray thought on the subway, a phrase that stuck with me, a question from a friend. I don't filter anything at this stage. The sorting comes later, when I sit down to work.
What Goes in the Bank:
- Questions from people. If someone DMs me or asks me something in person, chances are other people are wondering the same thing.
- My own struggles. If I had a hard time figuring something out, it's almost guaranteed to be relevant to someone else.
- Observations from everyday life. A conversation in line, an argument with a friend, a moment I catch myself making a mistake.
- Reactions to other people's content. I don't copy, but if a piece of content grabs me as a viewer, I break it down: Why did it work? How could I do something similar in my own style?
Three Tricks for When the Bank is Empty
Sometimes, even my ideas note comes up empty. That's when I turn to one of three moves:
- "What would I want to watch?" If I'm genuinely interested in the topic, there's a much better chance others will be too—better than if I'm just forcing it.
- Analyzing my own mistakes. For example, my article about my first month came directly from a screw-up I decided to be honest about.
- Answering a question I've already been asked. That's what sparked the article about questions from comments and, well, this one too.
What I Stopped Doing
- Chasing trends for the sake of trends. I used to try to keep up with every new format, burned out fast, and realized it's better to do less, but make it my own.
- Waiting for inspiration. It's much more likely to show up once you've already started working, not while you're sitting around waiting for it.
- Shying away from simple topics. Sometimes the most seemingly boring idea performs the best because it's relatable and human.
An Honest Look at Stagnation
There are weeks when I have zero desire to come up with anything. I used to beat myself up over it, but now I just take a break. An empty idea bank isn't a failure; it's a signal to slow down, not a punishment to power through.
Over to you
How about you? How do you come up with ideas for school, projects, social media, or any creative work? Do you keep a list, or do you keep it all in your head? And do you have dry spells like I do? Let me know in the comments—I'm genuinely curious if it's the same for everyone.