How to Have Good Ideas
A structured five-step process—Input, Curation, Processing, Iteration, and Output—designed to consistently generate, refine, and communicate high-quality, original ideas.
If you want to have good ideas, the first step is to stop trying to have good ideas. That sounds counterintuitive, but most of the people who struggle with idea generation are focusing too much on the outcome and not enough on the inputs. Good ideas are downstream of good sources, and most people are drinking from the wrong rivers.
The Problem with Big Thinkers
One of the biggest mistakes people make is looking for ideas from macro influencers, the biggest names in their field. The problem with macro influencers is that they’re not actually doing the thinking anymore. They’ve reached a stage where they optimize for audience growth, not intellectual depth. Their job is to distill, package, and promote ideas, not create them.
If you want original, deep insights, you have to go one level down. The best ideas tend to come from micro and mini influencers, people who are still in the trenches, still experimenting, and still refining their thoughts. They aren’t speaking in polished soundbites because they don’t have to. They’re wrestling with the ideas themselves.
This is why following small, niche experts on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter/X is so powerful. These people are usually a few years ahead of the mainstream. They notice things before the rest of the world does, and if you pay attention, you can pick up on patterns before they become obvious.
The Daily Sweep
Most people don’t have a system for collecting ideas. They expect inspiration to hit them out of nowhere. But idea generation is less about moments of brilliance and more about structured curiosity.
Every day, I scan my sources, newsletters, niche experts, discussions on social media. I’m not looking for breaking news; I’m looking for something interesting. A weird shift in the way people talk about a topic. A counterintuitive take that makes me pause. An overlooked trend that only a handful of people seem to be paying attention to.
If something makes me think, I make a note of it. And over time, these small observations start to connect.
The Role of AI and Structured Thinking
Once I have a collection of raw ideas, I run them through structured prompts. I don’t rely on AI to think for me, I use it to amplify my thinking. I’ve built a set of specialized prompts that help me stress-test ideas, refine my wording, and generate different angles I might not have considered.
The key is iteration. I don’t just take the first output and run with it. I might run the same idea through 2-4 different iterations, mixing and matching the strongest pieces. It’s like sculpting, you start with a rough block and keep chiseling away until something interesting emerges.
Editing: The Hardest Part
The final step is editing. Most people don’t realize that good writing is actually good editing. The difference between a good idea and a great one is often just removing the unnecessary fluff.
I cut aggressively. Anything that sounds generic, I delete. Anything that could be sharper, I rewrite. The goal isn’t just to communicate an idea, it’s to make it stick.
Why This Works
This process works because it mirrors how real thinking happens. Good ideas aren’t single moments of genius; they’re the result of consuming high-quality inputs, making connections, and refining over time. The mistake most people make is either consuming low-quality information (macro influencers, trending topics, recycled opinions) or not having a system to process what they consume.
The best ideas come from curiosity, structure, and iteration. Once you build a habit of collecting and refining ideas, they start to compound. And over time, you’ll find yourself seeing things that other people don’t. That’s the real advantage, not just having good ideas, but having them before everyone else does.
The Idea Generation Framework
This framework breaks down the process of consistently generating, refining, and communicating high-quality ideas. It’s built around five key phases: Input, Curation, Processing, Iteration, and Output.
1. INPUT - Drinking from the Right Sources
Goal: Collect high-quality, original insights before they become mainstream.
🔹 Follow the Right People: Focus on micro and mini influencers, not macro figures.
🔹 Curate Niche Sources: Prioritize deep thinkers on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and YouTube.
🔹 Subscribe to Newsletters: Choose ones that challenge your thinking, not just confirm biases.
🔹 Scan Daily: Quickly filter for unique, counterintuitive, or overlooked ideas.
📌 Actionable Tip: Spend 15-30 minutes daily scanning niche sources for emerging patterns.
2. CURATION - Recognizing Patterns
Goal: Identify and capture the most thought-provoking insights.
🔹 Look for Intellectual Hooks: Seek arguments, trends, or shifts in thinking.
🔹 Track Recurring Themes: If multiple people are noticing something, it's a signal.
🔹 Save Everything Interesting: Use tools like Notion, Roam, or simple notes to collect insights.
📌 Actionable Tip: Write down at least three intriguing observations per day.
3. PROCESSING - Making Sense of Raw Ideas
Goal: Turn scattered insights into structured thinking.
🔹 Ask Key Questions:
- Why is this interesting?
- What does this contradict?
- Where could this lead?
🔹 Connect the Dots: Combine multiple insights into broader patterns.
🔹 Develop a Unique Take: Avoid summarizing, what’s your perspective?
📌 Actionable Tip: Before moving forward, write a one-sentence thesis summarizing your insight.
4. ITERATION - Refining Through AI & Structure
Goal: Improve clarity, depth, and originality through structured iteration.
🔹 Use Specialized AI Prompts: Test different angles, expand thoughts, and refine wording.
🔹 Generate Multiple Drafts: Run ideas through 2-4 iterations to sharpen them.
🔹 Mix & Match: Take the strongest pieces from different versions and combine them.
📌 Actionable Tip: Run each idea through at least two alternative versions before finalizing.
5. OUTPUT - Editing & Communication
Goal: Deliver sharp, compelling ideas that stick.
🔹 Edit Ruthlessly: Cut fluff, remove clichés, and make ideas punchier.
🔹 Prioritize Clarity: If a 12-year-old can’t understand it, simplify.
🔹 Make It Memorable: Use analogies, rhetorical questions, and strong openings.
🔹 Engage Your Audience: Publish, test reactions, and refine further.
📌 Actionable Tip: Before publishing, ask: Would I stop scrolling for this?
Final Thoughts - The Compound Effect of Ideas
Ideas are like investments, the more consistently you engage with them, the more they compound over time. By following this framework, you’ll start spotting insights before others do, crafting better arguments, and ultimately, becoming a person known for original thinking.
TL;DR – The Five-Step Idea Generation Framework
1️⃣ Input – Consume high-quality niche insights.
2️⃣ Curation – Capture interesting observations.
3️⃣ Processing – Find unique connections and perspectives.
4️⃣ Iteration – Refine through AI, prompts, and multiple drafts.
5️⃣ Output – Edit, simplify, and publish engaging content.
🔄 Repeat Daily → Build a Competitive Advantage in Thinking.