Despite what we might like to believe, most great ideas don’t emerge from singular flashes of insight, inspiration, or brilliance.

It’s rare for the lightbulb to turn on above our heads, to be struck by a lightning bolt of clarity, or for the clouds to part and the profound truths of the universe to be revealed.

Most great ideas emerge over time, through a continual process of exploration and excavation.

At first glance, they might not look like much. Barely worth a second look.

But If the answers we seek were obvious someone else would have found them already.

The fact is that we all have dozens, maybe hundreds of thoughts every day that could lead to something deeper.

Most often, we dismiss them.

If we want to uncover and develop new ideas and create change with the work we do, we need to train our eyes, develop our patience, and focus our curiosity.

The best way to create work that matters is not to wait for the rare flashes of inspiration from the heavens.

Instead, it’s to keep our eyes trained on the ground in front of us.

On the mundane. On the dull. On the relatable.

Looking for the slightest glimmer of potential.

And when those dirty, common, dull ideas present themselves, we need to stick with them for just a moment.

Rather than pass them by, we need to pick them up, turn them over in our hands, dust them off and inspect them from every angle.

Many will be worthless.

But many won’t.

It takes effort, persistence, and rigor to expose a dull idea’s shiny potential.

But it’s a process that is available and waiting for us if we choose to do the work.

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