Great Ideas Are Useless If You Can’t Recall Them

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Hey again,

Before we dive in this week, let me ask you something: How many times have you had an amazing idea and thought, "I'll definitely remember this one"?

Maybe it was yesterday.
Maybe last week.
Maybe this morning in the shower.

Seriously, hit reply and tell me... How often do you trust your brain to keep track of your best insights?

Because here's what I've learned after working with hundreds of entrepreneurs and creators:

Your biggest missed opportunities aren't from a lack of good ideas.

They're from trusting your memory instead of capturing them.

Last month, a young founder asked me the secret to consistent innovation.

Instead of answering, I asked her what she thought killed creativity most often.

Her response was telling:

"Not having enough new ideas."

I smiled, because she'd just revealed the biggest misconception about creativity and innovation:

The problem isn't generating new ideas. It's remembering your old ones.

The One Thing Nobody Tells You About Creativity

Here's what most people get wrong about innovation:

They think creativity is about:
💭 Finding new ideas
💭 Brainstorming more
💭 Thinking "outside the box"
💭 Waiting for inspiration

It's limited by your ability to remember and connect your existing ones.

Think about it:

• How many great ideas have you forgotten?

• How many solutions have you "discovered" multiple times?

• How many insights have you lost because you didn't capture them?

The Most Valuable Ideas Are Usually the Ones You've Already Had

I learned this the hard way. Last year, I was stuck on a complex project when I found my notes from two years ago.

There it was – the exact solution I needed, written in my own words, completely forgotten.

Sound familiar?

Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen again! I’ve got a framework for you.

The Memory-Driven Innovation Framework

Here's how to never lose a good idea again:

1. Capture Everything

• Keep a note-taking app within reach 24/7

• Write down every insight, no matter how small

• Don't judge ideas – just collect them

2. Review Regularly

• Schedule weekly idea reviews

• Look for patterns and connections

• Ask: "What am I rediscovering?"

3. Connect Intentionally

• Link related ideas together

• Create topic clusters

• Build your personal knowledge graph

4. Implement Systematically

• Choose one old idea each week

• Test it in a current context

• Document what works and what doesn't

Remember: Your best ideas aren't always new – they're rediscovered.

Now, I know what you're thinking:

"Great framework, but who has time to capture and review everything?"

I get it. When you're rushing between meetings, dealing with deadlines, and putting out fires, the last thing you want is another system to maintain.

So let's get practical.

Here are three "no-excuse" approaches that actually work:

1. The Two-Minute Note

• Keep one note-taking app. Just one.

• When an idea hits, open it immediately

• Write one sentence. That's it.

• Add one relevant tag (project, theme, or problem)

• Close the app and move on

Hey: It's fast enough to do anywhere, detailed enough to jog your memory later.

2. The Weekly Power Hour

• Block 60 minutes every Friday

• First 20: Scan your week's notes

• Middle 20: Look for patterns

• Final 20: Pick ONE idea to implement next week

3. The Path of Least Resistance

• Use what you already have (Notes app, Gmail drafts, voice memos)

• Don't try to organize perfectly

• Just add a unique marker like #spark to make ideas searchable

• Review all #spark notes once a month

The key? Done is better than perfect.

POLL

Your next big idea isn't hiding somewhere in the future – it's already in your mind, just waiting for you to remember it.

The greatest innovators aren't just idea generators; they're idea collectors, patiently gathering their insights until the right moment arrives.

Your task isn't to create more, it's to lose less.

Keep connecting those dots,
Girvin