[dropcap cap=D]o you have a place where you can be creative? Someplace where you are completely away from all the distractions? Where you can think big thoughts?[/dropcap]

If not, you need to find one. And you need to go to that place at least once a week (and maybe even two or three times a week) for an hour or an hour-and-a-half each time.

For me, the place is the pool at our housing estate. I go there a couple mornings a week with a cup of coffee and my iPad. When I started, I would sit next to the pool and write. But that wasn’t good enough. Now, I actually stand in the pool while writing. (What can I say … Bangkok is a hot place.)

Important note: By big thoughts, I don’t mean big thoughts along the lines of “Why am I here?” or even “Where will my business be 10 years from now?” That’s great once in a while, but that well will run dry quickly.

What I mostly mean is creative thoughts on the smallest details of your business. Like: “What’s a fun idea for a new case display?” “What are some creative ways to build my e-mail list?” “What funny Facebook status updates can I write that will make my customers laugh over the next month?” “What can I stuff in bags that will make customers feel good?

Invest yourself in doing this, and your business can’t help but see big results.

dsquires@instoremag.com

[span class=note]This story is from the September 2010 edition of INSTORE[/span]