Tuning into the whispers of the muse
Where ideas come from and what (or not) to do with them
If I showed you the million different note taking apps I’ve used over the years, the scattered sketches in my notepads, and all my journal entries, you’ll find a common theme: ideas.
I love ideas. I have ideas for so many random things (apps, songs, books, essays, stand-up comedy sets, sketches, podcasts, YouTube channels, TV shows, movies). I can’t get enough of ideas. Generating ideas has turned into an unconscious (and conscious) hobby of mine.
But everyone has ideas.
Have you ever had the experience of coming up with an idea and years later seeing it come to fruition? And as you witness its success, you can't help but tell your friends and family that you had the SAME EXACT idea years ago?
I have. Countless times.
But how and why does this happen? No one really knows. Where ideas come from is still a mystery.
There’s a theory called “parallel thinking” which suggests that multiple people can have similar thoughts or ideas simultaneously, without any direct communication or influence from one another.
For example, the ancient civilisations of the Maya and the Aztecs both developed complex calendars based on astronomical observations. Despite being separated by hundreds of miles and lacking any form of communication with each other, the two cultures developed similar systems for measuring time and tracking celestial events.
Similarly, the concept of natural selection was developed independently by both Charles Darwin in England and Alfred Russel Wallace in the Malay Archipelago. While the two men had corresponded briefly, their work on the theory of evolution was largely independent, and both men arrived at similar conclusions about how species evolve over time.
These examples (and many more) suggest that there may be a deeper, mystical force at work that allows similar ideas to emerge in different parts of the world even in the absence of modern communication technology.
So, what is this mystical force?
Carl Jung believed that there is a shared, universal pool of knowledge and experiences that he called the collective unconscious. Ideas arise from here rather than being the product of an individual's personal experiences or thoughts. He believed that creative individuals, such as artists or writers, were able to tap into this collective unconscious and bring forth ideas and insights that were not necessarily their own.
In his book 'The War of Art,' Steven Pressfield discusses a similar idea, but he refers to the creative insights that come from a source beyond the self as the 'Muses.' Pressfield believes that the Muses are always at work, providing ideas and insights to those who are open to receiving them.
“John Lennon once said that the songs he wrote were not his creations, but those of a 'man upstairs,' whom he credited with the inspiration. Bob Dylan said the same. Dylan described his songs as vehicles that he felt he was put here to drive. The muse delivered the song, he said; his job was to get it from his mind to the page and into the studio, unchanged.” — Steven Pressfield
While I love discussing and contemplating my ideas, I am aware they don’t belong to me. To put myself in the best position to receive and nurture these ideas, I maintain certain regular practices, such as journaling, meditation, and long walks. But beyond this, ideas arise sporadically and unpredictably.
The truth is, however, that no one cares about your ideas until you actually do something with them. For me, this has been the bane of my existence for many years: having ideas but lacking the discipline to execute them.
Lately I’m realising that it doesn’t matter if I execute them or not because if the idea is actually any good (which it’s not 99.99% of the time), I believe it’ll find a way to manifest through someone else, if not me.
“The muse does not discriminate. She does not prefer Michaelangelo over you or me. She has no favourites. She will work with anyone who will keep the channel open.” — Steven Pressfield
There’s so many things I want to create, but I’ve accepted that I’m physically not capable of doing it all.
I just want to see cool shit in the world and if it already exists (or someone else is already working on it) then I don’t need to pursue it if I don’t see how I can bring my own unique perspective to it.
The question above is something I’m still meditating on. But the more I ask myself, the clearer it becomes.
If something already exists, then I accept that the Muse picked someone else and I can enjoy the creation without lamenting myself for not being person doing it. But if the Muse picks me then sometimes I have no choice but to follow through otherwise it simply won’t leave me alone.
“People don't have ideas. Ideas have people.” — Carl Jung
Even if the idea goes nowhere, there’s a certain satisfaction to bringing it to life. That’s the energy I’m focusing on channelling right now—respecting the muse and seeing things through to completion without necessarily knowing what the point of it.
In other words, creating to create.
It’s how I feel writing this newsletter right now. I’m still not sure where I’m going with it, but there’s something telling me that I have to write, so I’ll keep writing, sharing, and seeing what transpires.
So fun reading your posts. I just released an episode on my podcast on this - You might find reading Joseph Rael's book, SOUND, helpful in the way Navajo teachings explain inspiration. It's beautifully written, and aligns with the way I understand 'ideas'.