the President made a comment on another meeting he had attended

where someone in the audience asked the presenter where to find good subjects to photograph. The presenter in question started giving specifics instead of identifying the core issues in question, Attitude and Perspective.

Clients often ask me the same question about ideas, "Where or how does one come up with a good idea for a business or service, for a new product to develop or a theme for an ad?" Oddly enough, the answer is the same; it depends on your attitude and perspective because inspiration is everywhere. Everywhere around you, there are clues to great ideas but you have to be receptive to see or hear them. Once you are open to really listening and observing, you tend to notice things you weren't aware of in the past. It's sometimes uncomfortable to look at the world around you and respond to it differently than others do, but it can be very rewarding.

Is the world around you a place of abundance and opportunity or a difficult barren place? Do you think of life as a constant struggle or an adventure?

Take a look at http://www.MixZup.com. This retail concept is an idea that originated in a three-year-old's mind. The important point is that Julia's mother Lynne was someone who did not patronize her daughter by saying, "Isn't that cute." and then telling her to put on socks that match. She really listened to her daughter, considered the factors that prompted Julia to express her individualism by wearing socks that do not match and recognized it as an opportunity. Children, with their ability to think outside of the limitations most of us have developed and placed on ourselves as adults, are great at coming up with innovative, unconventional ideas.

To get back to the example of the photographer; often businesses tell me they need photos and their son, daughter, or spouse has an expensive camera...that's great, but it's not about the equipment. It's about the eye behind the camera and the ability to be open to recognising a great shot.