Eyes Wide Shut? The inspiration you need could be right under your nose.

A big challenge in building a creative company is learning howto bring fresh input into your daily business life. Finding ways tocontinually broaden your perspective and find inspiration is one ofthe most basic creative skills.

Seeking new input is too important to leave to chanceencounters. To help you step out of status-quo thinking, you mustdo the following:

1.Commit to the importance of acontinual flow of new input.

2.Cultivate a curious mind thatcontinually asks "I wonder what would happen if . . .?"

3.Find new sources ofinput.

Once you accomplish the first two, almost any environment orconversation can spark new thoughts. These simple ideas can get youstarted:

• Go to events whereyou'll meet people outside your usual sphere-people fromdifferent industries or from other countries, or people who haveinterests different from yours. Unlike a networking event, you areprospecting for new ideas, not new contacts. Of course, you mightalso leave with some promising business cards.

• Go to places you don'tusually go. If you're looking for innovative ideas for a storedisplay, check out places that sell something you don't andthat have a completely different customer demographic.

How one store sells sports equipment may give you an idea abouthow you should sell your bakery goods. Trying the unconventional isa proven way to get your customers' attention.

• Read a book or magazinethat introduces you to a new industry, hobby, place or interest.For example, if you have a contracting or interior design business,looking at a book on animal habitats may be the catalyst for aninnovative solution. Specialty catalogs, coffee-table books andeven greeting cards are rich in images and words that may inspireyou-often, the more unusual, the better.

• Seek input from peoplewithin your company who don't usually get a chance to sharetheir ideas.

• Let yourself follow a hunch orwhimsy, and see what it teaches you. Remember,inspiration is not tied to the practical or feasible. You may wantto begin carrying a small notebook or create a file in your PDA torecord any new ideas or creative thoughts. Once you're in thehabit of being open to receiving ideas, they'll start floodingin anytime and at anyplace.

Juanita Weaver is a creativity coach and consultant.She'd like to hear how your company sparks creativity. Contacther at juanita@juanitaweaver.com.