Creators who make money are people who never run out of ideas.

But coming up with great ideas is tricky. Some days you’re inspired, and some you aren’t.

Ugly truth: The internet doesn’t reward amateurs. It only rewards those who show up consistently.

After writing for over a decade, I was finally able to systematize my idea-generation process.

Let me share the system I use so that you can fast-track your path to becoming a creator who makes money (and never runs out of ideas).

1. Stop Forgetting Your Best Ideas

I get the best ideas when I’m not in front of a computer.

Bets are, it’s the same for you.

The human brain’s not a machine. It builds connections and insights when you’re not actively thinking.

These fleeting gems are your potential gold mines.

They’re the emails your audience will actually open. They’re the articles that’ll bring loads of traffic. They’re the online courses that people will gladly pay for.

That’s why you need a capturing process.

Make it a habit to write ideas down as soon as you have them so that when you sit down to create, you only have to look at everything you’ve captured.

What do you think is easier? Racking your brain when you’re in front of your keyboard, glaring at a blank screen? Or opening up your good old note-taking app with dozens of great ideas to pick from?

My phone is my ally, where I save my best ideas on the go. Always. Even in embarrassing moments like… (Edit: I’ll skip on that one.)

When I’m hit by an idea jolt, I either open an app called Otter to dictate my voice notes. Or use an app called Bear to write down my insights.

As a result, I have over 1000+ content ideas at hand when it comes to creating content.

Capture your ideas as soon as they arise and destroy writer’s block.

2. Actively Work on Generating Insights

Each idea is based on something you’ve encountered in the past.

May it be content you’ve consumed or something you’ve experienced. It’s a mix-and-match between different things.

Creating content is all about sharing those mixes.

But ideas aren’t a static trophy you put on a shelf. It’s a living entity that needs to be engaged with, digested, and transformed.

You see, waiting for a lightbulb moment isn’t a strategy. It’s a fantasy.

So instead of merely consuming:
– books,
– podcasts,
– articles
– or videos…

Take whatever has enriched your mind and throw it into your note-taking app. Then take some time to re-engage with what you saved.

Let’s get more specific.

Say you’ve read a book that’s electrifying. You can practically feel the neurons firing.

Take those highlights and bring them into a specialized note-taking app like Obsidian. It’s like having a mental workshop where you take the raw materials of your thoughts and turn them into well-crafted furniture.

In Obsidian, what I do is that I rewrite the highlights from any book with my own words.

That exercise alone allows me to re-engage with the content that I might have forgotten.

Not only that.

I then connect those thoughts with other notes I took in the past, thanks to the Obsidian linking function.

Then, I can see a graph representation of how ideas are connected:

I only have to follow the connections to spark new insights and content ideas.

Re-engage with what you’ve captured.

3. Expand on Your Best Ideas

Successful writers all have an ugly secret.

They often say the same thing, but in different ways.

So you’ve written a hit article, and now what? Do you move on to the next great idea, hoping to strike gold again?

Hold up.

The best way to come up with new, profitable content is by doubling down on what’s already working.

Instead of inventing a new wheel, refine the one that’s already spinning nicely.

As an example, I wrote an article about utilizing ChatGPT for content creation, and it was like striking oil.

Did I pat myself on the back and move on? Heck no.

I leveraged that single piece into more articles, newsletters, and even created a course that sold like crazy.

Multiple streams of content and potential income from one winning idea.

See which of your past content got the most traction and engagement. Take that winning idea and brainstorm.

Could you turn it into a series of blog posts? Maybe a webinar or an email course?

Instead of constantly searching for the next big thing, dig deeper into what you already have.

Expand on your winning ideas.

Your job is not to write

Becoming better at generating ideas is a key skill if you want to stand out in your niche and become an authority.

With the rise of AI-generated content creation tools, writing has become a cheap skill.

What AI can’t do (yet) is to spark unique insights based on your experience and knowledge.

That’s why setting up a note-taking system that empowers your thinking is a unique advantage you might want to consider setting up today.

Want to turn your notes into content?

Get my free course below: