Idea Sex
Combine two familiar domains to generate an original concept
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 98%
Idea Sex is a combination method for producing creative concepts. Choose two domains you know about or genuinely find interesting, then explore what exists at their intersection. Break each domain into recognizable functions, formats, audiences, or cultural associations and recombine them into possible products, stories, or content angles. The result does not need to be good immediately; its purpose is to escape obvious ideas by forcing concepts that normally sit apart into contact. Apple combining computers with radio, phones, and flat touch surfaces illustrates the mechanism at product scale, while combining guitars with history produces a distinctive lens for explaining technological and cultural change. The method generates candidates, which should then be tested rather than assumed viable.
Origin
James Altucher described Idea Sex as a tool for combining two interests or areas of knowledge to discover their creative intersection.
Core principles
- 01Novel ideas often live at the intersection of existing concepts
- 02Personal interests and knowledge are useful creative inputs
- 03Unexpected combinations can create new formats or industries
- 04A strange combination is a prompt to explore, not proof of quality
How to run it
- 1
Choose two domains
Select two things you know about or are interested in. Prefer domains with enough detail to offer multiple points of connection.
Pro tip Use one familiar domain and one unexpected domain to increase novelty.
- 2
Map their elements
List each domain's formats, functions, audiences, history, and distinctive traits.
Watch out Combining only the labels can produce a gimmick rather than a useful concept.
- 3
Explore the intersection
Pair elements across the two lists and ask what product, story, service, or format each pairing could create.
Pro tip Generate multiple combinations before evaluating them.
- 4
Select a candidate
Choose the combination with the strongest useful or intriguing mechanism and define a small test.
Watch out Novelty alone does not establish demand.
In the wild
Combine an interest in guitars with an interest in history. Trace the evolution from primitive instruments to electric guitars, using the instrument as a lens for changes in technology, music, and civilization.
→ A familiar history topic gains a distinctive organizing angle.
Apple combined its computer capabilities with the function of radio and music playback, producing the iPod. Later combinations with phones and touch surfaces produced additional product categories.
→ Existing capabilities recombined into new products and industries.
Common mistakes
Combining without a mechanism
A clever label is not enough; the intersection needs a useful function, perspective, or experience.
Assuming novelty equals demand
The method creates ideas, but a separate test must establish whether anyone wants one.
Is it for you?
Best for
People seeking fresh content, product, format, or business concepts.
Not ideal for
Situations where the core problem is validating demand rather than generating possibilities.
From the transcript
“you want to come up with two con two things that you're either interested in or know about and explore what the intersection of those…”
“you always can combine two concepts to find something creative”
“idea sex is a very powerful tool when coming up with ideas”
From the episode
Unlock Your Potential and Thrive as a Content Creator