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Fall is in the air, but you’ll never read the words p---kin sp--e in this newsletter. We’re better than that.

But we’re not too good to aim for better ideas. Today’s Main Thing tells you the guaranteed way to get them. Few are willing, though. 

After that comes This Week’s Marketing Wrap-Up.

Appetizer: Trade your teaspoon for a bucket, says Jim Rohn.

Discover the measurable impacts of AI agents for customer support

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The best part? Their human team is free to focus on the complex, high-value issues that matter most.

👉 Curious how they did it? Read the full case study to learn how Papaya transformed their customer support

The Main Thing

Seek Out Boredom if You Want Uncommon Ideas

I’ll get to a real smart, sharp-dressed fella from Harvard in a minute.

First, I’ll tell you where I (a t-shirt-wearing, HS grad) get tons of ideas. Not just for this newsletter, which I write 3x a week. 

• But also a history newsletter.

• Plus, 6 articles a month for another client.

• And a pile of ramblings on LinkedIn.

The truth is I get my best ideas when I’m walking, hiking, kayaking, or exercising.

Thing is I don’t always know when it happens. Ideas just arrive and lodge themselves in a wrinkle of my brain somewhere.

Then, at some point, the idea wiggles to the top of my mind enough so that I can grab it and write it down.

I’ve got three stacks of index cards with ideas written on them. Prolly 250 cards by now.

The point is, I cannot tell you how to churn out ideas by TRYING to churn out ideas.

Don’t work that way.

Ideas come to an open mind. A relaxed mind not busy or busy forcing ideas to arrive.

To get the best ideas for your ads, content, or new products you gotta put your mind at ease. Let it wander.

It cannot wander if you’re constantly shoving stuff into it. Let your mind focus on boring things as you mow the lawn. As you plant flowers. As you walk around a boring neighborhood. 

Now, do I get ideas while I’m reading an article or watching a video? Sure. Nothing wrong with that, but those ideas are not my most unique. 

The most unique ideas come when I am the only input. Not me, really. But my subconscious - the smarter version of me (hopefully since a dumber version would be hard to imagine).

Pressfield calls it The Muse.

Ok, now let’s see how those personal tips compare to the Harvard genius.

Harvard Business Review on Boredom

People would rather shock themselves than sit in a room bored.

A legit experiment was done to reveal that outcome. A big majority of the study participants pushed a button to give themselves a small shock when that was the ONLY activity available in a boring room.

Why choose a shock over boredom?

The shock is less scary than big questions that pop into your mind when everything gets quiet (AKA boring).

Big questions like…

• What am I doing with my life?

• Why did Amy break up with me and take our dog?

• Will I ever get a raise, and do I even deserve one?

And get this. Many people today don’t have a clear idea of what their purpose is. Much less so than earlier generations (not hatin’, just relaying Harvard man’s findings). 

Furthermore, people are not even looking for purpose. They can’t because they pour other people’s thoughts into their own heads every second of every day.

There’s no room for deep thoughts about what you could do, should do, and have the power to do. 

This apparently explains some of the devastating anxiety and depression today.

15 Seconds of Boredom is Too Much

This is true for all generations now. Just watch people waiting at a crosswalk for the walk signal. They (we) grab our phones instead of paying attention to what’s around us for a few measly seconds.

Harvard man suggests simple stuff like not taking your phone with you to the gym. Or on walks. 

Yeah, you’ll have to deal with that voice in your head telling you everything sucks or you’re going bald.

That’s the tradeoff if you want your best ideas to bubble up.

Avoiding podcasts and listening to music is a step in the right direction if you can’t leave your phone behind.

Music isn’t trying to convince you of something or sell you anything or tease you to keep listening for something later in the show. 

Try 15 minutes of boredom. See what happens. Your mind’s powerful. 

It’s a terrible thing to waste. Your best ideas must have room to arrive. 

Boredom clears your mind like swiping every item off your desk in a fit of rage. Nothing remains but empty space. A vacancy for awesome ideas. 

How to practice boredom…

• Do one thing at a time

• Wash dishes and only wash dishes (no music, no TV, no talking)

• Walk at a park and leave your phone in the car.

• Write in your journal in a room with nothing else to do.

Harvard man’s rules for himself:

• No devices after 7 PM

• No phones with meals

• Don’t sleep with phone near you

• Social media fasts

• Device fasts

All the above are great ways to make room for ideas. But I hope ideas aren’t the best thing you get out of trying that advice.

If you can stick with some of those restrictions, you’ll likely feel better and be less anxious. 

That’s better than any idea you’ll come up with, no matter how brilliant you are. If you give it a try, let me know. 

Now, wet your beak in the Wrap-Up below…

Please share Inbox Hacking with a fellow marketing genius or business owner. I appreciate you reading.

Shane McLendon - Copy Kingpin.

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