While I love seeing my own ideas take off, I’m even more excited by the prospect of helping develop a universal formula for success. It pushes technology forward, challenging us as human beings to think and to evolve.
相比看著自己的想法得到實現(xiàn)，筆者對于這些想法能夠創(chuàng)造成功的預(yù)期更覺得興奮。它能夠推動科技的發(fā)展，促使人類的思考與進化。

You probably have at least a slight notion of an idea in mind, but if not, I can give you a little insight on where good ideas come from. The first piece of advice is this: don’t get held up on the idea. Don’t think of an idea and attempt to figure out all the small details right away. Take the idea and run with it.
你也許在心中也有一個很小的想法，如果沒有的話，筆者可以給你一點點提示。首先你該這樣做：不要拘泥在這個想法上。不要認為一個想法就能解決所有的事情，而應(yīng)該把這個想法好好地利用起來。

So where do ideas come from?
那么，這些靈感的來源在哪里呢？

1.Your world
1. 你的身邊

These are the spontaneous ideas that hit you in your everyday life. The appliance in your kitchen that desperately needs another function, the underutilized advertising opportunity in your morning commute, or the piece of software we know could optimize our workday.
這些都是日常生活中突然想到的靈感。廚房工具需要更多的新功能，早餐上班時未被充分利用的廣告機會，或者我們工作所需的優(yōu)化軟件。

We tend to move through life quickly and accept things for what they are, but when you slow down and start to question the things around you, you’ll find yourself inspired. Many of these ideas you’ll throw out -- too expensive, not enough of a target audience -- but once you start to see the world around you as open market for opportunity, you’re bound to find a couple of ideas with real potential.
我們往往都追尋快速的生活并接受事情的本質(zhì)，但當(dāng)你放慢腳步，思考身邊的這些東西時，你會發(fā)現(xiàn)靈感就這么產(chǎn)生了！很多想法——有些太昂貴，不足以找到知音——但一旦你開始把身邊的這些東西當(dāng)作一個機會的開放平臺，你就一定能夠得到很多真實潛在的靈感。

2.Your "bad" ideas
2. 你的“壞”想法

Some of us are blessed with inspiration all the time. We come up with ideas constantly throughout the day, laughing many of them off as unrealistic, shirking others as poor concepts. You’ll find that the more bad ideas you have, the more potential good ideas you’ll have as well.
有些人總能獲得不錯的靈感。每天我們的腦海里都產(chǎn)生不同的想法，我們會嘲笑那些想法都不顯示，別人的想法都是不好的想法。但你會發(fā)現(xiàn)，你所想的“壞”想法越多，你的潛在的“好”的想法也會越多。

Keep a note open on your mobile device or a notebook and write down every idea you have, no matter how foolish or grandiose it seems. When you go back from time to time to review the list, you may see the more realistic, accomplishable side of some of those ideas.
保持可移動設(shè)備的筆記功能的隨時待命或隨身攜帶一本筆記本，在有任何想法的時候把它寫下來，無論它們看起來多么愚蠢或多么偉大。當(dāng)你時不時查看這些記錄的時候，你就能夠發(fā)現(xiàn)某些想法更現(xiàn)實，更可行。

Reading that list off to others can also be a launch point to discussion and the development of those concepts into something legitimate.
把這些想法向他人表達出來，也能夠拋磚引玉，激發(fā)新的討論和實行。

3.Collaborations
3. 與人協(xié)作

Sometimes you have an idea that can’t quite round out to completion, an idea that is half-baked, so to speak. Some of the world’s best new inventions are not the efforts of one person, but a collaborative effort. Conversations with others in your field, even those you connect with on the Internet from the other side of the world, can lead to higher-level inspiration.
有時候你的想法并不是一個完整的概念。世界上的一些最偉大的發(fā)明都不是靠一個人的努力，而是與他人的協(xié)作。在所在領(lǐng)域與他人交談，及時是網(wǎng)絡(luò)上處于世界另一端的人，也能給你很多的靈感。

Discussing your concepts with a colleague can lead to the realization that while individually, you’re only halfway there, together, you’ve struck gold. Even casual conversations with friends or coworkers can lead to development.
跟同事們討論你的想法，相比單槍匹馬只能實現(xiàn)一半的情況，可以把它們更好地付諸實踐。即使時平常的閑聊也能讓想法提升到新的高度。

4.Friends and family
4. 親朋好友

You don’t have to limit your collaboration to other business-minded folks either. Really listen to your friends and family. By paying attention to their daily complaints, you have the opportunity to find room for improvement in their lives as well as your own.
同時，你也不必限制自己與其他具備商業(yè)頭腦的親人的合作。認真聽取親友的意見。多留意他們的訴求，你就有更大的空間提高他們以及自己的生活水平。

5.Ask around
5. 尋求周圍的人幫忙

If you feel that you are bound for entrepreneurship, you can always ask potential clients for ideas. Much like finding weaknesses in your own company, you can call companies in the market you are interested in, and ask them what issues they need to deal with on a regular basis. If they all share a common issue -- there’s your idea. Make that. After all, you know they will buy that product.
如果你認為自己想要成為一名企業(yè)家，你就應(yīng)該多問問潛在顧客的意見。正如發(fā)現(xiàn)公司的弱勢，你也能聯(lián)系所在領(lǐng)域的所有公司機構(gòu)，了解他們運營公司所需要解決的日常問題。如果他們反映的問題都是相似的，那么這就是你的靈感來源了。努力實現(xiàn)它吧，畢竟你知道他們會購買你的產(chǎn)品。

Most important, write your idea down! On your phone, tablet, and/or in your notebook, jot down your overarching concepts, as well as the smaller ideas that go along with them. You’ll find that once an idea hits, your thoughts will come in fast and furious.
最重要的是，把想法寫下來！無論是電話，寫字板，還是筆記本，把大大小小的想法都寫下來，你就會發(fā)現(xiàn)一旦出現(xiàn)新的靈感，你的想法就會源源不斷地涌過來。