How to Invent Something

So far all I've come up with are the ideas; I've never followed through and actually had the product or idea made, but I reckon the initial idea is the hardest (and funnest) part.

Why Invent?

I am one of those people that my mum calls "creative". I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse, but everywhere I look my mind throws ideas at me. But to come up with ideas you don't need to be a creative person necessarily, you just need a brain. And if you've read this far you must have on of those!

Some people invent things out of necessity, some to make money, some to fill a missing gasp, others to help in some way, some for the recognition, and others for the mere thrill of it. My invention ideas are just a way of exercising my brain, and having a good laugh.

How to invent?

How do you come up with that million dollar idea? Will it just drop into your lap, or will you have to stare at your laptop for years? Who knows, but the only way to find out is to start right now. They say that if you can come up with a list of 100 new inventions, 1 of those will be marketable, needed, and make you some money. What if that was the first one on your list? What if the next idea is "the one"? Gee, you better have a notepad ready just in case. (Admission: I carry a pen and notepad with me everywhere, don't leave home without them).

The formula!

Okay, here is the simplest way to get started: I call it "finding holes in the universe". You find the holes, then fill them with a new invention (well, the idea for an invention anyway).

Answer these questions:

1. What was the last thing you did? (my answer: ate a pizza)
2. What would make the last thing you did better? (my answer: being able to see the pizza while I carried it from the front to the back of the house)
3. What was annoying about the last thing you did? (my answer: I didn't know what to do with the leftover piece, I didn't want to throw it out that would be a waste, and i don't like day old pizza)
4. Examine your answers closely. The idea for the invention is actually right there. Think of three ways of making those answers happen. Think of a silly way (the stupidest way you can think of), a technical way (if you had any gizmo in the world to fix the problem), and think of a superhero way (you have super powers, you can shrink things, expand things, fly to the moon and use your x-ray vision or a supersonic laser beam - think BIG!). Then refine those crazy ideas if you like any of them.

Here are my answers to give you the idea

1. Being able to see the pizza while I carried it from the front to the back of the house
2. Silly: see through box.
   Technical: LCD screen showing the pizza inside with a webcam.
   Superhero: I shrink to the size of an anchovy and carry myself from within the box.
3. I didn't know what to do with the leftover piece, I didn't want to throw it out that would be a waste, and i don't like day old pizza
4. Silly: Pin it to the fridge.
   Technical: Have the fridge slice it up and turn it into something else.
   Superhero: Shrink the last piece small enough to fit into a full stomach.

So, right there we have 6 brilliant sources for inventions. They may already be the invention ideas, or they may be the steps on the way to the idea, but there's no doubt they are 6 things which could potentially fill a hole in the universe that one, ten, or a million people may also need filled.

Pick a winner

Out of these I think I like the idea of a clear pizza box so I can see my pizza before, during, and even after if I don't finish it. I don't think this exists yet, so that's my invention for the day. Was that easy? We can refine the idea by deciding how it would work, why it would work, and what it would be made from, or simply stop there and write it on our "invention of the day" list. But before you write it down - what are you going to call it?

What's in a name?

My favourite part! Whether my invention ideas are terrific or tragic, I still name them. For me it's the fun part. My tricks are as follows:

• Rhyme: (Beef Briefs: when you want to wear your meat)
• Alliteration: (Mutton Mitten: Keep that sheep still!)
• Pun: (Think Inside the Box: The clear pizza box)
• What it is: (Pizza Projector: it projects your pizza onto a screen for you to see. This uses alliteration and tells you exactly what it is)

Moving on

You could also examine further by following the chain of events that happened before and after (the pizza guy drove to my house, he rang the doorbell, I called for a pizza etc etc). All of these things could be done more efficiently, fast, better, in a funner way or in a different way, therefor creating holes in the universe where you could come up with the idea for an invention!

Word of warning

Just be careful, because once you start coming up with these ideas, you may not be able to stop! Oh, and when you make your first million dollars, please send me a cut of it, because I haven't made my million yet :)