Have you ever experienced being stuck with one particular idea, but never pushed forward to bring it to life? You might have thought that idea was such an excellent creation, and letting it go seemed like a waste. It’s natural for people to hold onto thoughts and things that we think are important. But the point is, to succeed, you sometimes need to let something go. When it comes to creativity, throwing out old ideas is a great way to find new solutions.

Imagine a dresser. Years and years of hoarding tons of things. In order to store some new items in there, you need to get rid of some old ones.

As an example of how fresh ideas might work better, here's a story of Japanese artists. In 2016, they created an ad for cell phone provider Docomo called *Xylophone in the Forest*. The group built a wooden xylophone over the hillside and installed the ball that had to roll down a 44-meter-long trail. The idea was that on its way, the ball would hit the instrument’s keys and play the composition of Bach.

Yet, when planning the ad, the artists initially had a very different idea. They wanted something more grandiose and complex, like a Rube Goldberg machine. It’s the device that completes a task using unnecessarily complicated methods. So, at first, the scenario for the ad was a ball rolling down a path complicated by twists, turns, and levers.

It took a lot of time and effort to implement the idea, yet Morihiro Harano, the head of the project, turned it down. As an expert in advertising and media, he was sticking to simple ideas and thought it would play off better. And he was right — the ad was a huge success and even made it into some international media. Making the hard choice of rejecting a grand idea of his team brought a valuable reward.

Creativity is not only about making decisions and rejecting ideas. It also requires thinking positively about your future. This involves getting enough rest as well. Your brain doesn’t let you access the ideas in your subconscious. So, by winding out from time to time, you'll be able to reach them in the form of inspiration sparks.

Similarly, when you shower, your brain remains active. It efficiently processes thoughts and ideas, helping you organize your day or even spark creative inspiration. Later, these moments in the shower can serve as a wellspring of imaginative ideas.

Jonah Lehrer, a top-selling author, shared that his most creative ideas usually appear out of the blue. He could be just standing in line to get coffee when the idea comes.