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Change your process. We now live in a time where inspiration is plentiful and easily accessible.
Invert your process.
Write words, word map and associate semantics in relation to your design strategy before even touching the computer for references.
Chief
Have you tried to think about how this happened in the first place? If this isn’t something you used to rely on and now you do—what changed? And by that question, I mean what changed in your process or your habits or your way of approaching a problem when brainstorming? Is this happening in the very early stages when you work on your own before you share ideas with your partner? Is your partner doing this?
I remember from my early days I would sometimes see other creatives, or I would have a partner who would flip through annuals or look up a website with tons of ads and they would just be looking at shit while “brainstorming” which I always thought was a terrible habit. I could easily see even when I was a Jr. that doing this would not help at all. These people would fall into this trap of being unable to think of something other than what they were looking at in the moment. All this “inspiration” always had the opposite effect. It never sparked anything but wanting to copy stuff.
I’m sure by now you probably have realized that this tends to happen. The “inspiration” is not really inspiring. So I encourage you to think about what went wrong in your process, because it sounds like this is a (bad) habit you acquired lately and not something you have always relied on.
But also, is it working? Maybe it works for you. I’m speaking from personal experience. It has never worked for me and whenever I’ve fallen into that trap, I end up paralyzed not being able to have an original thought. And I also have seen this habit mostly fail most people. But if it’s actually working for you, then why change it…
If you want to kick this habit, you probably need to force yourself to not look at references for anything, unless you already have an idea in your head. Start with a blank piece of paper and just jut down everything. Even the bad shit, the stupid shit, the out of brief shit. Don’t worry about how good or plausible something is at first until your second pass. No filters. If you have a hard time getting started, step away from the problem and go for a walk or do something to give your brain a chance to stretch. Why do you think ideas always seem to come when you’re in the shower, or doing some unrelated activity?
There are some apps or flashcards that are made to help spark ideas or force you to approach problems from a different perspective. Some people find these helpful, but I feel like these are made more for people who are not naturally inclined to think creatively and have to be guided through the process. But hey, whatever helps you out of the rut. No shame in that. Whack pack app and Deck of Brilliance come to mind. I’ve personally never use them but some people find them very useful.
Pro
I feel this. Honestly, I think we’re just exhausted.
It’s not your fault. Clients for decades have asked for references and even done the “like this but for our brand” tactic. Most brands are risk adverse and are always asking for “proof of concept”. I think the key is where your idea ends up after the initial spark.
I literally can’t sell anything through at my agency without a reference. So I also just start by scanning through references.