F@%!&$ write it down!

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"He's a real nowhere man"

- John Lennon

I don't know how many times I've lost a great idea for one stupid reason: I didn't write it down! I don't know how many times it's happened because I've forgotten them all, but I know it's happened far too many times.

I also don't think there's any feeling more frustrating than KNOWING you had a great idea, even remembering what it was about, but not knowing what the bloody idea actually was. What's even worse, at a certain point if you do think of it again, you'll never know that it's the "right" idea.

Sometimes I think and force and will the idea back to the tip of my brain, like pulling a statue out of hardened wax - but I'm not usually successful. Sometimes I get the statue out, but the arms and head are broken off. I know there was a great idea in there, but at this point it's gone forever. It makes me want to smoke crack and die.

So, what's the solution? WRITE THE DAMN THING DOWN! Don't wait. Don't sleep on it. Don't put it off in any way, just write it down. Carry a notepad with you and write it down as soon as you have the idea. Keep an audio recorder with you to take notes, or hum a tune you've come up with. Whatever works for you is great, as long as you keep an actual record of your ideas. Something outside of your mind. Fine, maybe you realize the idea was stupid later, but at least you know what it was! No matter how great your memory is, it will fail you at some point. Don't let it happen before you've written down the spark of inspiration that would have made you a household name.