Creative Alchemy: How to Transform the Everyday into Ideas

I am a fervent admirer of creativity. I’m fascinated by the ability to create something where there was once nothing, to take scattered elements from different fields and combine them to give life to something new. For me, creativity isn’t about spontaneous generation; rather, it's like alchemy: turning the lead of the ordinary into the gold of the extraordinary. I’ve learned to recognize my moments of peak creativity—those instances when ideas flow like the playful mischief of a curiously restless mind, emerging from nowhere and transforming into something brilliant.

Interestingly, these creative moments strike me when my mind is engaged in relatively mechanical tasks. It happens when I shower, wash dishes, or even while driving. It seems that when I enter a state of automaticity, a part of my brain is set free, unleashing a burst of ideas. It’s almost automatic: as soon as the water touches my skin in the shower, thoughts that have been swirling for days suddenly align, combine, and—out of nowhere—something new is born. In fact, many of my writings have emerged in this way.

I often joke about how inconvenient it feels to take time to shower because I sense it interrupts other activities. I’d love to be able to read in the shower. Sometimes I listen to music or put on a podcast, which, by the way, drives my wife crazy. Nowadays, thanks to technology, I use apps that convert text to speech, allowing me to keep “reading” while I shower. This urge to keep moving while doing something seemingly mundane has become a creative trigger. While my conscious mind relaxes, my creativity begins to dance.

The same thing happens when I wash dishes. For me, washing is a therapeutic activity that puts my mind on autopilot and lets ideas run freely, with enthusiasm, creating unexpected connections. It’s not uncommon for innovative concepts to emerge amid this routine. And when I drive to work, I’ve noticed that my mind enters an almost meditative state. Sometimes, I arrive at the office barely remembering the journey, but during that time, ideas have germinated.

I’ve learned to capture these ideas quickly—it’s almost like a hunt. If I don’t, they vanish forever; they escape me. I use my phone to take extensive notes or dictate my thoughts into amazing apps that turn them into text. This habit of relaxing and not forcing the creative process has been key to letting ideas flow naturally. Recognizing those moments or cycles when my mind operates at its peak has made the flow of ideas unstoppable.

Creativity is different for everyone. What works for me may not work for others. But the key is to find those triggers, those routines that unlock creative potential, and give them space to materialize. The important thing here is to make it personal—each person must find their own creative formula and exploit it to the fullest.