Great ideas can be a church’s most valuable resource. But getting and keeping such big ideas aren’t typically easy. Fortunately, LifeDev has offered the following seven tips (summarized by Church Relevance) for getting and holding on to great ideas:

1. ALWAYS carry paper. Recording good ideas as soon as you get them ensures that you will not lose them, and as LifeDev puts it, “Writing it down gives you freedom to let your mind explore it even more, because it doesn’t have to work on actually remembering it.”
2. Be descriptive when writing it down. Sometimes the greatness of an idea is in the details. Don’t forget to write down all of the vital components of the idea.
3. Plan for not planning on it. Often, the best ideas come out of nowhere and even when you are doing something unrelated. Don’t be surprised, but be prepared to record it.
4. Good environments matter. Learn to relax and “observe the Sabbath.” A relaxed mind can produce some incredible things.
5. Think big picture down. Think about the full scope of the idea and potential problem it addresses. Justify recording the idea by understanding why in the big picture it is important.
6. Organize your thoughts. Don’t just record your ideas, but organize them. Link them together to strengthen an existing idea or to create a new one. Determine the best means to implement them.
7. Know when to stop. Don’t try to force big ideas. Sometimes you need to walk away from the problem, forget about it, and give your mind a break. But be prepared! When you do this, an idea could come at any minute (see #3).

Special thanks to Lifehacker for highlighting the tips.