The Idea
We often treat ideas like cash.
We "spend" them on a post or project, and the balance hits zero. This traps you on a treadmill of constantly hunting for new inspiration.
Real creative leverage comes when you treat notes as assets, not transactions. They should sit in your system and compound, paying out dividends long after the initial work is done.
Try This
The Linkage Protocol
An isolated note is a dead end. To make an idea compound, you must force a connection to your future self.
Use this simple workflow whenever you capture a new thought:
Capture the core idea.
Add a "Bridge Sentence" connecting it to an active project or past topic.
Script: "This reminds me of [Project X] because..." or "This argues against my note on [Topic Y]...".
The Logic: This turns a static text file into a network node. You aren't just storing information; you are building a web of associations that makes future writing easier.
A Spark
I'm revisiting A Technique for Producing Ideas by James Webb Young. It’s a solid reminder that an idea is nothing more than a new combination of old elements.
Until next time,
Gav.
