Trust your intuition to capture only the best ideas

You’re rushing to catch your bus when an idea about your side project unexpectedly pops into your mind. You dig for a pen but realize your pockets are empty—and time is slipping away. You feel that familiar frustration in your chest. Then you remember you have a notes app at your fingertips. With a quick tap and a few words, you capture the spark before it can vanish. Later that evening, as the bus lights whistle by your window, you revisit the snippet. It still lights you up exactly as it did on the street. That simple act of capturing in the moment saved your inspiration from fading.

In a busy workday, ideas often come when you least expect them: during a coffee break or while waiting in line. By training yourself to notice the emotional cue of resonance—your intuition’s gentle tug—you learn to trust that you’re saving the right details. Over time, those captured sparks pile up into a powerful well of insights you can draw on at any moment.

This technique draws on research into “affect heuristics,” which shows that our emotional response to information is a reliable guide for what we’ll truly value later. By honoring those intuitive nudges, you create a collection of ideas uniquely tailored to your goals and passions.

You can make this effortless tonight: when you feel that small thrill of insight, quickly open your notes app, tap to create a new entry, and type the phrase that grabbed you. Label it with a short project or keyword so you know why it matters, then close the app and move on with your evening. Give it a try after dinner.