Big Ideas Begin With An Inkling

Here’s how to notice and cultivate them

Here’s how to notice and cultivate them

Photo by Daniel Sinoca on Unsplash

A faint tap on my window roused my attention. In truth, it made me jump because a person wouldn’t be able to reach this window without a ladder.

There, hovering outside the glass like a fairy, was a hummingbird. Its wings were copper-lined from the midafternoon sun. It seemed to want my attention. I laughed as I sucked in my gut, sitting in that person-living-alone-slouched-on-the-couch position that no one ever sees.

It appeared she was window shopping, the inquisitive bird. Or perhaps she was seeking knowledge that she would carry along on her way. Or maybe, just maybe she dropped by to deliver a message of some sort. Hummingbirds are, after all, nature’s gossipmongers.

She didn’t stay long, a few seconds, but long enough that I felt a connection with the little messenger.

Like the most fleeting thoughts.

Like a whisper.

A researcher at UCLA, Melanie Barboni, is a “hummingbird whisperer.” She developed a kinship with the colorful array of birds she fed and nurtured daily. She learned that they do indeed communicate with us and they develop a sense of trust over time. They often perched on her thumb and ate out of her palm. They showed their impatience by chirping and flitting if she was late with their feeding, even dive-bombing her office until she took heed. It was clear that the exchange of information had taken place and a bond formed.

It got me thinking about how we pick up our information, what sticks and what doesn’t. Science shows humans process over 6,000 thoughts and our brains receive 34 GBs of information in a day. This is all the more reason why it’s important to be cognizant of where and on what we focus.

Pay attention.

As a student of life and pursuer of ideas big and small, pay attention to the details of a passing moment. Take heed when an inkling jumps out, when it separates itself from the swarm of other thoughts and when it tickles the imagination.

It can be a little reminder, a higher concept idea, or a nugget that creates a bigger life meaning.

They sometimes seem obvious, as life’s little reminders are so often, but only if we’re paying attention.

“Paying attention is the most basic and profound expression of love.” Tara Brach

Notice the inkling.

It was an inkling I received from my experience with the hummingbird.

Inklings can also come from a word or phrase, read or spoken, or words overheard in a conversation. They’re everywhere. The aim is to take notice. Notice when the word starts percolating in your mind as a possible metaphor for deeper meanings.

Write them down. Or doodle them.

It could also be something you witness that’s out of the ordinary. And, often, it’s in nature, as with the hummingbird.

Or watch for when a mishap or disruption occurs that on its surface appears negative. But, once explored, it can reveal a larger theme that can often lead to a transforming message.

It’s an inkling. An inkling sparks a larger thought. An inkling gives a clue or hints to something bigger. A glimmer. Every grand idea or innovation begins with an inkling.

The word inking means “a slight knowledge or vague notion.” Inkling originates from the 16th century Middle English word yngkiling which means “whisper.” And, the word inclen, “to hint at.” And the word inca means “suspicion.”

The British word inkle, as a verb, means to utter in a hushed undertone.

So, when we get an inkling, it’s the whisper, the hushed undertone of an idea. Isn’t that delicious?

Expand the inkling

Pay deeper attention to the inklings, and nurture them, at home, at play, and at work. It’s what can take it to the next level, to the big idea, to the career-shifting moment.

Brainstorm it. Brainstorming is all about inklings. They are a big part of my work with creative clients. We listen deeply for the whispers inside of the idea, of the work in progress, to discover hidden gems. We follow the inklings. Then, the magic is in the details as the project comes together.

Inklings allow us to expand, grow, create, love, raise our consciousness and share amazing ideas with our world.

And trust the inklings. Listen to their whispers as you, each day, create your work, your big ideas, and a life full of meaning.