There is a creator on X, with over one million followers, known as The Cultural Tutor.

Something I find interesting about him is that he refuses to read anything that was published in the last 50 years.

Why do you think that is?

"Because that's what everyone else is reading," he says.

Here's the thing.

Originality is largely a myth.

Nothing is original.

What we refer to as originality is simply a fresh blend of borrowed ideas.

And when you read what everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking, which means you create what everyone else is creating.

I mean think about it, how many "Create systems not goals" videos have you seen pop up for the new year?

An idea that gained widespread attention through one of the most popular books in recent years.

What's even worse:

You have the modern day Library of Alexandria in the palm of your hands—yet most people opt to consume content made within the past 24 hours by scrolling social media. It's no wonder they feel like they lack fresh ideas.

They're trapped in the echo chamber of recycled content.

Those who have a distinct style take what works and combine it with sources where most aren't looking.

They have a unique blend.

They dare to explore the library beyond the first shelf.

They develop their own novel concepts.

They synthesize.

Think of it like Pokemon training…

The Problem With Route 1 Thinking

Everyone's catching Pidgeys and Rattatas (common ideas):

• Reading the top 50 bestsellers
• Following all the mainstream creators
• Sourcing viral ideas from the algorithm

They never venture out of the Viridian forest.

The result?

Content that's as forgettable as a level 5 Caterpie.

But hey, it isn't all bad.

You gotta start somewhere and every trainer starts on route 1 familiarizing themselves with the game.

The key is to not get stuck in route 1 because the best trainers know 2 things:

1. Rare Pokemon aren't found on the beaten path.
2. Even rare Pokemon need training before becoming ready for battle.

Btw—when I say Pokemon, I'm referring to insights and novel ideas, stick with me homie.

The Cultural Tutor is exploring the equivalent of hidden caves and forgotten routes by diving into old books and buried works. While everyone else catches the same ideas, he's re-discovering the ones people forgot about, creating his own unique blend.

So how do we actually do this?

The Pokemon Method

The Pokemon Method breaks it down:

• Capturing Ideas = Catching Pokemon
• Developing Ideas = Training Pokemon
• Unique Concepts = Evolved, Rare, and Legendary Pokemon

Let's dive in.

1: Capture Ideas (Catch Wild Pokemon)

You must search far and wide to capture ideas. You must look where no one else is looking. Explore areas where other trainers never venture off to.

Conduct your research in two ways:

1: Read diverse books (or consume diverse articles, videos, podcasts, etc.)

Curate your inputs.

Like The Cultural Tutor you want to diversify your inputs beyond what is mainstream.

One of my favorite pastimes is going to a used bookstore and browsing the shelves.

There are also a number of little free libraries in my neighborhood where people drop off used books. Whenever I go for a walk I like to stop at one or two and see what I can find.

This is how you find lesser known works with hidden gems.

2: Personal Experiences

Your personal experiences are like encounters with legendary Pokemon.

They are what give you a unique edge because they can't be easily replicated by other creators.

You never know what kind of ideas will pop up as you go about your day-to-day life.

Once an idea strikes, pull out your Pokeball (notes app) and capture the idea before it escapes you.

You might think you'll remember it, you won't.

I've lost so many ideas to the ether because I didn't bother to capture them, thinking I would remember later—I didn't.

When reading or consuming content—capture the ideas that light something up within you and make you go:

"GODDAMN THAT'S GOOD! I WISH I THOUGHT OF THAT."

Save all your captured ideas to one place. Like a Pokedex (but your very own Ideadex) where all captured ideas are collected. This makes them easier to find and organize.

I use Kortex for this. (affliate link)

Otherwise, they get lost in the shuffle of random notes.

Following so far?

Cool.

Stephen King tells us that to be a writer, you need to do two things above all else:

1. Read a lot (like catching many different types of Pokemon).
2. Write a lot (like training those Pokemon through battles).

Let's get into the second part.

2: Training In The Mental Gym (Evolving Pokemon)

The same way Pokemon need training to evolve, ideas need time to be developed in your mental gym.

Let's breakdown the training process.

Deep Thinking Sessions = Sparring Matches.

• Set aside time to wrestle with your ideas.
• Challenge them from different angles.
• List the problems, benefits, and objections.

We want to use these mental training sessions to bring our idea from a low level Charmander to a fully grown Charizard.

Something like this:

• Initial capture: raw insight (low level Charmander)
• First evolution: developing idea (Charmeleon)
• Final Form: fully realized concept (Charizard)

The mental training happens through writing.

Open a new doc. Note the captured idea you want to develop and start the training process.

Brain dump.

Write everything that comes to mind without judging it.

• How does it connect to other captured ideas?
• Do other quotes or references come to mind?
• What makes it compelling to you?
• Address the problems, benefits, and objections associated with the idea.

You won’t fill it out the doc completely in one go, that’s okay. Come back to and piece it together over the next few days (or weeks).

Let’s talk about that. 👇

3: Do Nothing (Rest At a Pokemon Center)

It's time to find an empty Pokemon Center.

Take time to unplug, do nothing, and give yourself the space to be bored.

Let your mind wander.

We know Pokemon need time at the Pokemon Center to:

• Heal and recover.
• Develop naturally.
• Grow stronger between battles.

You mind works the same way.

Create space to:

• Go for walks with no inputs.
• Train with no music.
• Lay down and stare at the ceiling.

Engaging in these activities is like mental alchemy—it creates the space for rare insights to appear. This is when your mind makes unexpected connections.

Like the sudden realization that capturing and developing ideas is quite similar to catching and training Pokemon ;)

Yes, what you produce is the sum of your inputs. You need to consume to create. But don't use that as an excuse for overconsumption.

The modern world is like a giant amusement park designed to distract you.

You need time for your mind to process your inputs.

You need time to think clearly and make connections.

You need time to challenge ideas and come to your own conclusions.

Capturing ideas is only about 20-30% of it.

The real magic happens when you write, visit the mental gym, reflect, and take time to do nothing. That's when your ideas truly evolve.

(Lowkey the best insights come to me when I'm meditating.)

I hope you found this useful.

Until next time my friend,

—Priscilla [Player 2]

P.S. This was an idea that I've been developing for 3-4 weeks now. So don't be discouraged if it takes time to fully flesh your ideas out. I also have a few other ideas in development so expect more fun stuff.

P.S.S. If you're following my build in public journey—I recorded audio and I'm working on the video. It'll be out late Jan. I'll probably send a newsletter with more details.

Thanks for your time.

Peace. ✌️