The Spark of an Idea: How to Catch Lightning in a Bottle

Look around the room you are in right now.

Look at the chair. Look at the lightbulb. Look at the shoes on your feet. Look at the screen you are reading this on.

Here is a crazy thought: None of these things existed.

Once upon a time, the world was just trees, rocks, and water. Chairs didn't grow on bushes. iPhones didn't swim in the ocean.

So where did they come from?

They came from the most magical place in the universe: The Human Imagination.

They started as a Spark.

What is a Spark?

A Spark is that tiny moment when you think: "What if...?"

• "What if... we could fly like birds?" (Impact: Airplanes)
• "What if... I could talk to my friend through a wire?" (Impact: Telephones)
• "What if... we put wheels on a suitcase?" (Impact: No more heavy lifting!)

Sparks are powerful. They are the seeds of reality.

You Are a Wizard

In fantasy movies, wizards cast spells to make things appear. "Accio Pizza!"

Human beings are real-life wizards. We do the same thing, it just takes longer.

1. Imagination: We see the pizza in our head.
2. Creation: We mix the dough, sauce, and cheese.
3. Reality: The pizza exists!

That is magic. You are taking something from the Dream World and pulling it into the Real World.

Catching the Sparks

Use your brain like a butterfly net. You have Sparks all the time, you just might not notice them.

• Have you ever been annoyed by something? "Ugh, I hate tying my shoes."
  • SPARK: Velcro shoes! Self-tying laces!
• Have you ever been bored? "I wish I had a game where..."
  • SPARK: Video game designer!
• Have you ever seen something pretty? "That cloud looks like a dragon."
  • SPARK: Story idea! Art project!

Pay attention to your "What Ifs." Pay attention to your "I wish."

The Idea Register

Ideas are slippery. They are like dreams—if you don't write them down, they float away and disappear.

Get a notebook. Call it your Spark Book.

Whenever you have a weird, funny, or cool idea, write it down! It doesn't have to be a good idea. Bad ideas are just fertilizer for good ideas.

• "A hat that is also a bowl for cereal"
• "A robot that walks dogs"
• "A song about a grumpy potato"

Write them all down!

Share Your Sparks

Sparks get brighter when you rub them together.

If you have an idea, tell a friend. "Hey, what if we built a fort that looks like a spaceship?"

Your friend might add their spark: "Yeah! And we can use foil for the controls!"

Boom! Now you have a bigger fire. Now you are innovating.

Don't Let the Spark Die

The world needs your sparks. We have big problems to solve. We need clean energy. We need cures for sickness. We need happier cities.

The solution to these problems is hiding inside someone's head right now. Maybe it's hiding in yours.

So cherish your weird thoughts. Respect your imagination. You are a creator. You are a wizard. Let the sparks fly!