I’m often asked how I come up with so many talks, posts, and ideas.
The truth is, I rarely start from scratch.
I’ve trained myself never to face a blank page—because long before I sit down to write, I’ve already been writing.
For years, I’ve been capturing thoughts as they come:
- in the middle of a meeting
- during a walk
- after a conversation
- or just a flash of insight while coding
Some go into my voice journal. Others land in Obsidian, in a file called “Blogging Ideas”. I jot down fragments—sometimes just a phrase, sometimes a full outline, sometimes a link or quote that sparked something.
That file is never empty. And that means I am never empty, either.
I may be tired. I may not feel ready. But I always have a thread to pull on.
In a recent meeting with my friend Matthew, I showed him that file. He asked if I had ever given a talk about it. Turns out, I had. Back in 2019, I gave an internal talk at Improving on how I come up with talks. That, too, had started as a note in that file.
Over time, this habit has become one of my most valuable creative tools. When I feel resistance to writing or creating, I return to something I planted months or even years ago. It might not bloom right away. But it gives me a place to start.
If you want to write more—or speak more, or reflect more—start capturing those seeds.
Don’t wait for the perfect idea or the perfect time. Just write down what stirred something in you.
One sentence is enough.
When it’s time to create, you won’t be starting from nothing. You’ll be picking up a thread you left for yourself.
Bonus Lessons from the Talk
That 2019 talk offered a few other key lessons that still hold up:
- Let the audience guide what to expand
Pay attention to the parts of a talk that get strong reactions or questions. They often deserve their own talks. - Don’t chase trends. Chase energy.
Your best talks come from topics you can’t shut up about—not what’s hot in a blog or magazine. - Start with ‘why’, not ‘what’
If you’re excited about why a topic matters, others will be too. If you’re not excited, wait. - Your past work is compost
Old blog posts, past talks, forum answers, even ideas that didn’t land—they all break down and feed new growth. - Record everything
Whether it’s journaling, audio, or video of talks, that record becomes raw material for future talks and writing.
No one ever really starts from zero.
You start from what you’ve lived, what you’ve noticed, what you’ve captured.
So start capturing.
Leave a Reply