People seem to agree on one thing. Generating ideas on any subject is tough. So when I tell them it's easy
I see varied responses.

There are business executives who have spent days to come up with one single idea for promoting the business, and realized it was not good enough to convince the management.

Some of them are writers and journalists who keep searching new angles to write about their subject. Again there experience suggests it is not easy.

I know they are telling the truth. It's true from their point of experience. But one simple understanding can change all that.

Just remember: human brain works on the principle of association.

If I say HOME every one of my readers will remember something: it could be the mother, front courtyard and the trees there, or the drawing room, kitchen, kid's room.

Many memories of childhood might be triggered. Interesting thing is, one memory triggers another! This is the associative nature of our brain. We can use it to get more and more ideas.

The trick is not to get stuck in the problem in front of us. Let it be the trigger for associations. Just write the 'problem' on an index card. Now start following the chain of associations. Just keep on recording them on different cards.

It will loosen up your mind and you will soon begin to come up with fresh associations. Don't worry about them being good, bad or ugly. Keep recording them.

Once you have lots and lots of associations, spread them in front of you. Start arranging them in different clusters. You can categories them by similarity, by functionality, or by some other relationship.

This process will give you many new ideas. It will stimulate your mind to think new connections. Important thing is you will realize there are many different ways of arranging them. Every new arrangement gives you a new angle to focus upon.

Keep doing the process. Be playful. Explore what happens if you put a 'un-related' card into a cluster. You will be amazed by the kind of responses that your mind will give you. Because in the world of the mind everything is related. It will provide you with new associations.

You will realize Ideas always comes in clusters. There are so many of them to choose from!