Ever Wake Up At Night With a Brilliant Idea?

16 years ago

Hi Aaryn,

although I usually get the best ideas in the morning after getting out of bed, I sometimes get ideas in the middle of the night as well.

What I do to remember those ideas is:
I always keep some piece of paper laying at my bedstand. So when I get an idea in the middle of the night I swith on the bedside lamp, write down the idea and then go to sleep again.

I fall asleep rather fast so I'm not missing a lot of sleep using this method. (5-10 minutes at most)

Trey

[ 2 ] Thanks

Signature

Dare to think? Join the Thinkers Club - The Collective Thought Journal
(free membership and no email required for registration)

MuscularBrain.com: A Perfectionist's Thoughts on Self Development

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1652662].message }}

AwesomePossum

16 years ago

Great, Thanks Trey. I was really worried about the sleeping part, thanks for clearing that up. I think that's about how long it takes to get back to sleep when I'm slumbering anyways (can't know for sure though lol)

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

ONLY 100 COPIES LEFT!! The $1,000,000 Secret:

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1652673].message }}

Trey Walter

16 years ago

Originally Posted by AwesomePossum

Great, Thanks Trey. I was really worried about the sleeping part, thanks for clearing that up. I think that's about how long it takes to get back to sleep when I'm slumbering anyways (can't know for sure though lol)

Yeah, it probably differs from person to person, but usually you're still very drowsy after the whole process of writing down your thoughts.

So you should give it a try and see if it works for you.

By the way: Of course you could also use a voice recorder instead of a piece of paper.

Thanks

Signature

Dare to think? Join the Thinkers Club - The Collective Thought Journal
(free membership and no email required for registration)

MuscularBrain.com: A Perfectionist's Thoughts on Self Development

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1652695].message }}

MarketingGuru123

16 years ago

You should not only keep a notebook by bedside but also try to shift your computer in your bedroom it, so that if you have problem in sleeping back you can start working, right at the moment

[ 1 ] Thanks
1 reply

Signature

I'm a heavy smoker. I go through two lighters a day

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1652785].message }}

Spider2 16 years ago

I found keeping a pad and pen on my nightstand to be a great cure. I used to get lots of ideas in the middle of the night, so I placed a pad and pen at the ready

.... and I haven't had a single idea in the night since!''
- Thanks
Signature
Frederick
Business Mentor and Personal Life Coach
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1652932].message }}

AwesomePossum

16 years ago

Nice thoughts guys, thx

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

ONLY 100 COPIES LEFT!! The $1,000,000 Secret:

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1652977].message }}

sandra.IMqueen 16 years ago

when great thoughts wake you in the middle of the night you have to record them; pen & paper, voice recorder whatever works for you. What i have discovered is that if I don't record them, they keep going round and round in my head and I cannot get back to sleep.

In my experience its as if the act of recording them gives your brain space to process them and you can fall back to sleep with ease.

These moments of genius are not to be lost.
- Thanks
- 2 replies
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1653138].message }}
- webwriter 16 years ago
  
  I can't tell you how many great ideas that were lost because I did not keep a pen and pad on my nightstand. At the time these ideas occurred to me, I foolishly believed that they were so simple and so obvious that I would surely remember them in the morning.
  
  Needless to say, I didn't.
  
  I know much better now.
  
  Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1653162].message }}
- DejanM 16 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by sandra.IMqueen
  
  In my experience its as if the act of recording them gives your brain space to process them and you can fall back to sleep with ease.
  
  This is one of the main lessons of Getting Things Done - emptying your brain "RAM" so you can concentrate on other things/sleep.
  
  I've been intensely developing a web application the last few weeks and I wrote every single idea that came on my mind on a piece of paper and throw it on my desk. Then once a week I'd review it and input it into my computer if it was good. Otherwise thrash it.
  
  Works great. My mind is now always empty.
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  
  Easy Blog Networks - PBN Hosting & Automation
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1654233].message }}

Aaron H

16 years ago

usually use my mobile as an alarm clock so I record the idea onto that via a quick text or voice memo then attach an alarm to it for while I'm having breakfast so then I don't forget about it.

The important part is typing up all the notes regarding that idea into OneNote so I can add more at a later date if needed and then I put a postit with a short description on a board above my desk.

Totally agree with Sandra about decluttering your brain from random ideas and putting them down on paper not only because it'll help you sleep but I found it helps you focus on the project you're actually working on at the time rather than daydreaming about other ideas.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1653377].message }}

iVentureBiz

16 years ago

heheh this happens to me all the time, I actually have a binder filled with ideas that I'm working on completing...

I find the best way is to have a notebook handy at all times. As well as a digital voice recorder. Usually I have both within arms reach at all times so that if I'm sleeping I can easily get up say a couple words about the idea to jog my memory later or write/draw out what's in my mind.

Thankfully my wife is a heavy sleeper so I don't wake her up when I start mumbling into my voice recorder at 3am lol

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1653388].message }}

Ron Killian

16 years ago

I hate when that happens, getting an idea in the middle of the night, or often I get them when I am trying to fall asleep. So often, I can not get back to sleep, guess some of the ideas get me to excited.

I am with others, try to keep paper and pen next to the bed. Like webwriter said, some times I think I'll remember them and many times I don't.

A voice recorder is a good idea Mark, did not think about it.

Some years ago, I remember reading about, I believe it was Tom Monaghan, from Domino's, that he had a pad and pen with him at all times, so he wouldn't forget an idea, said he had 100's of notepads full.

While having the computer in the bedroom might be more efficient, it wouldn't be good for me, I spend to much time on it as it is

I usually try NOT to this about biz when I am trying to fall asleep, so I don't get to much going on in my head and then can't get to sleep.

Thanks

Signature

PLR Affiliate Program Has Launched! Easily Promote Over 5,000 PLR and MRR Products.

Largest Selection of PLR Articles on the Planet! PLR Ebooks, PLR Video, PLR Websites and more with Private Label Rights

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1653474].message }}

Sam Mlambo

16 years ago

I get big ideas often when I'm trying to sleep. Yes it can be annoying when you actually need the rest for the next day. But your ideas are wealth generators. Money chases ideas. So I suggest to always record them down and keep them safe to take action with them later.

I have a digital recorder. And I carry it around everywhere I go. whenever I get a good idea I just record it down. Much faster then having to write it down.

But all in all, record your ideas down. The next idea could be the one to make you millions of dollars!

- Sam

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1654051].message }}

webwriter 16 years ago

Of course, I always take along a pen and small pad when I go out. However, it seemed as though the Muse deserted me. No ideas occurred to me! However, they always seemed to when I happened to forget my pen. Maybe I was just too focused on other things. But lately, this seems to happen every time. By the time I get home, I.ve completely forgotten that brilliant idea. If that isn't frustrating, I don't know what is.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1654115].message }}

AwesomePossum

16 years ago

Webwriter,
I recommend you just get an audio recorder. (Trey and I were talking about this in another forum actually.)

Carrying a pen and a notepad around to write down your ideas is much different than having an audio recorder when your ideas occur! Having your audio recorder available to get you through the day is a great idea. Schedules, tasks, I used it for lectures in class, ect.(It just keeps things running more smoothly) If you always have it with you, it's there for when your ideas pop up while not the reason you carrying it around....make sense? If not I can rephrase

Thanks

Signature

ONLY 100 COPIES LEFT!! The $1,000,000 Secret:

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1654197].message }}

Dennis Gaskill

16 years ago

Aaryn - most of the good ideas I get when I'm in bed happen when I'm in that state in between being awake and asleep. This can be either when falling asleep or waking up. I seldom wake in the middle of a sound sleep with an idea, although I have woke myself up laughing out loud before.

I keep a notebook on my nightstand to jot the idea down. I use a voice recorder otherwise, but I don't want to wake my wife up talking into a recorder.

Thanks

Signature

Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1654633].message }}

Lady

16 years ago

Often, and for that reason I keep a pad of paper and a pen on the nightstand to jot it down quickly, because I know the idea will be gone in the morning.

Thanks

Signature

Best Wishes Lee

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1654649].message }}

mello

16 years ago

Pad and pen in my bag and next to my bed ... voice recorder when I remember it .. and if all else fails my crackberry is ALWAYS at hand so I'll send an email to myself so I don't lose the idea.

Now, the issue is how to process all those ideas and turn them into $$$. Just not enough hours in the day to go through all the notes. A system to review, compile and process - thanks for the GTD reminder DejanM!

Cheers
Mel

Thanks

Signature

Everything is doable ... if you take action
Internet Marketing
PLR

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1654795].message }}

Sandy Cormack

16 years ago

Yes, sometimes I have dreams that I later connect to a problem or issue I'm working on.

Like for instance, I've been trying to develop my internet marketing strategy for several months. I also started playing a really fun video game around December. One night I had a dream about the game that morphed into a solution to some of the marketing issues I was wrestling with. When I awoke the connection was clear - some of strategies I employed in the game were analogous to the strategies I needed to pursue in my marketing.

This does not happen often but when it does it heightens my sense of intuition.

Thanks

Signature

Sandy Cormack

Creativity Training, Strategic Planning, Personal Development, Organizational Development, and Lead Guitar

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1656048].message }}

he_who_brings_order

16 years ago

It happened to me. But I never applied those ideas...

Thanks

Signature

My blog - CalmGrowth.com

130 Powerful Resources for a Gigantic (personal and professional) Growth (free)

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1656235].message }}

cwrinco

16 years ago

Originally Posted by AwesomePossum

This has happened 3 nights in a row for me. Just wake up in the middle of the night. This morning I got out of bed and ran over to a notebook lol. Think I woke up everyone at the house.

1 for SI, 1 for goal setting, & 1 I don't remember

Any helpful hints on getting these ideas down before they're gone forever?

Should I just keep a notebook by my side and write it down when I wake up? Seems like it would be hard to wake up to write things down then be able go back to sleep(I really value this. 8 hr nights are what keeps my days rolling) but it's the best Idea I have so far..... Brain Storm???

Thanks,
Aaryn

I keep a notebook on the bedstand, on the seat of the car while driving, in my pocket while sitting in waiting rooms.... always, always, always have a way to jot down ideas, night time, day time, anytime. These are powerful thoughts that shouldn't be ignored.

One problem I have with the night time ideas is I won't turn the light on and try not to get too awakened. In the morning, I sit there and try to read and understand what I wrote... often times I can't figure it out. Often times I wish I couldn't!

fun!

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1657185].message }}

AwesomePossum

16 years ago

Originally Posted by cwrinco

One problem I have with the night time ideas is I won't turn the light on and try not to get too awakened. In the morning, I sit there and try to read and understand what I wrote... often times I can't figure it out. Often times I wish I couldn't!

fun!

lol. Very funny. I'll have to try to keep that in mind. Hopefully I don't run into the same problem :p

Thanks

Signature

ONLY 100 COPIES LEFT!! The $1,000,000 Secret:

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1657436].message }}

lokodomain

16 years ago

Spending 5 minutes a day in quiet thought can help with your ideas

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1657403].message }}

Arun Kumar

16 years ago

Interesting topic but, i have never woke up in the middle of the night with the brilliant idea.

Thanks

Signature

Webmasterz Forum - Fastest Growing Webmaster Forum

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1658266].message }}

ToniMaltano

16 years ago

I don't wake up with great ideas in the middle of the night, but I always
have so damn great ideas before falling asleep

I am just laying down in bed, relaxing and all of a sudden I have a great
strategy that I can use for my own marketing or an idea about a great thread
I can post here at WF. I need to write these ideas down every time becuase I
forget to use them if I don't.

The night is full of surprises.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1658412].message }}

pickthat apple 16 years ago

I would suggest a pencil but a big notebook as opposed to small, because I find that if you switch on the light and open your eyes it is not the same....
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1658452].message }}

Justin Says

16 years ago

In psychology.

Ingredients:
- Pen
- Notebook
- Bottle of Water
- GREAT IDEA!

In psychology class I was told by my teacher that you should keep a notebook, pen, and bottle of water right next to your bed. This way when you pop out of bed you can just lean over, jot down your dreams/ideas and take a nice sip of water to refresh yourself. Which I guess can also help you remember better?

[ 1 ] Thanks

Signature

My name is Justin Lewis. My digital marketing company has been in business for over 10 years with multiple six-figure years. We do provide a premium web design service.

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1658655].message }}

RDJLabs

16 years ago

How about a near laptop instead of a notebook and a pen? It would be faster than that

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1660508].message }}

Trey Walter 16 years ago

Originally Posted by RDJLabs

How about a near laptop instead of a notebook and a pen? It would be faster than that

The laptop would be faster? Booting my laptop takes longer than the whole process of writing down my thought with a pen...
- Thanks
Signature

Dare to think? Join the Thinkers Club - The Collective Thought Journal
(free membership and no email required for registration)

MuscularBrain.com: A Perfectionist's Thoughts on Self Development
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1660682].message }}

Marketstriker

16 years ago

Lucky you. I didn't have this experience. My best ideas come to me after the cup of coffee. Lol. In the morning I concentrate on remembering my dreams during the night and writing them down. It helps to understand myself deeper and develop my personality in this way.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1662137].message }}

AwesomePossum

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Marketstriker

In the morning I concentrate on remembering my dreams during the night and writing them down. It helps to understand myself deeper and develop my personality in this way.

Ya, I've been trying to work on that too but it hasn't been my strong suit. I think I'm going to work on Lucid Dreaming once I get all of this crazy IM studying out of the way. I love this game lol. Game Theory at it's best

Thanks

Signature

ONLY 100 COPIES LEFT!! The $1,000,000 Secret:

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1662335].message }}

CoolWebStuff

16 years ago

Well, something similar ... An idea pops us and even trying hard to go to bed.. i keep on thinking making plans.. for the whole night and the next day !!

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1662835].message }}

kwality

16 years ago

Keep an idea notepad close to your bed. Or just record yourself as you speak with your cellphone.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1662845].message }}

vneely

16 years ago

I seldom wake up in the middle of the night with a brilliant idea. When I wake up, it's usually because I have to go to the bathroom.

But I'm plagued with ideas and schemes all the time when I'm trying to go to sleep. It's like my brain gets hyper and realizes it has only a limited time to fire out nifty ideas before sleep overtakes it. I deal with it by dumping ideas into a notebook.

I wouldn't keep a laptop by my bed to record ideas, though. Odds are, I'll be tempted to do other things like check email or surf the web, and then I'll never get to sleep.

As for a voice recorder--no. Well, maybe I'd do that if I lived alone and knew I wouldn't disturb anyone or worry about sounding dumb.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1663111].message }}

ordinary_joe 16 years ago

I had problems with this also...either from that or not being able to sleep due to too many ideas.

Desmond
- Thanks
Signature
I hate my job...follow what im doing to change that.
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1663184].message }}

Sandy Cormack

16 years ago

Salvador Dali and others used this technique:

1. Get a pen, notepad, metal fork, and comfy chair.

2. Sit in chair with fork in hand, dangling towards the floor.

3. Doze off. When you do you will drop the fork and it will wake you up.

4. You will have dreamed about something. Write it down.

5. Repeat.

Then take all these things and try to connect them to whatever you're working on to create new and novel perspectives.

[ 1 ] Thanks

Signature

Sandy Cormack

Creativity Training, Strategic Planning, Personal Development, Organizational Development, and Lead Guitar

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1665138].message }}

AwesomePossum

16 years ago

Sick!!! Thanks Sandy... that's a great idea. I just have to make sure I'm tired when I do it :p

Also, I had the craziest dream last night....
I found the first steps within my life purpose from it....kinda crazy actually. I spent all morning dissecting it.
While I was in a golden temple, I got a heart in a golden chest from an angel

This was a Jack Cranfield mediation but I didn't seem to get it right while I was awake....It still worked out though so I'm pretty happy!!

Thanks

Signature

ONLY 100 COPIES LEFT!! The $1,000,000 Secret:

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1665167].message }}

Ever Wake Up At Night With a Brilliant Idea?

Trending Topics

Hello Everyone, Glad to Join the Community

Which Area of Digital Marketing Excites You the Most?

Hey Warriors!

What is the fastest way to get traffic to an affiliate link?

Clickbank, Digistore24 or Amazon Associates