Flip the Switch If starting a business is on your mind, but you're still waiting for that light-bulb moment, read on to find out how others got their million-dollar ideas--and how you can come up with one, too.

It's the great "aha" moment every entrepreneur seeks: You've come up with an idea that no one else has thought of- one that ultimately gets off the ground and really flies. Everybody has ideas, but how do you come up with those million-dollar ideas that translate into big business?

Open Your Eyes
First, take a good look at yourself. What do you do best? Consider what's most important to you and what gets your blood racing, says Robert G. Allen, co-author of Cracking the Millionaire Code: Your Key to Enlightened Wealth. If your interest is dogs, for instance, then start a business that has to do with dogs. If your passion is chocolate, do something that dips your life in chocolate. Thinking about your interests will help you focus your brainstorming and give you the staying power to persevere through the tedious parts of starting a business.

To spark more creativity, put yourself in unusual situations, avoiding the humdrum of everyday life. Meet different people, travel, and read. "Put yourself in areas that stimulate your mind," says Fred Kiesner, chair of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Gathering with small groups of friends to brainstorm and imposing a deadline may also boost your imagination.