“Where did you get that idea?” is a question I get asked quite a bit.

I smile knowingly and try to act like Buddha. They look at me with admiration, and I soak it all in.

But today, I’m going to tell you the truth about where I get my ideas.

Drumroll, please….

I steal them. Yep, I’m not sure that I’ve ever had a good idea of my own. But over the years, I’ve really become an expert at stealing some super ideas from some smart people.

This fall, I’m stealing them in four places. I’ve already been to one, and I’ve got three more on my list. I go to these places planning to steal the best ideas, and it works time after time.

Place one: DreamForce. I just got back last week. DreamForce was a giant (45,000 people) conference put on by the folks who run SalesForce. It was held in San Francisco. It was amazing, and I left with a ton of notes about things we’re going to do in our firm. I’m already driving my people crazy with additions to their task lists.

Next up is the 2011 World Business Forum in New York in a few weeks. I’ll be hearing from Bill Clinton, Seth Godin, Jack Welch, Patrick Lencioni, Malcolm Gladwell, and a long list of others. I plan to steal some good stuff there.

Then I’m off to the Fortune Growth Summit in Phoenix, where I’ll hear from Daniel Pink, Youngme Moon, and Bob Parsons. More good ideas to steal.

Finally, I’m going to the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. This festival is a totally different deal from the other business-focused programs; however, I’ve now attended several times and come away with just as many great ideas from Jonesborough as I do from the other events.

If you’re going to steal ideas, it’s important to put yourself in target-rich environments. These places have worked for me in the past. Get your ideas from the speakers and additionally steal from those seated nearby during the program, at breaks, and at the lunches and dinners. Other attendees are often my very best source for application of the ideas I’m stealing.

Get out and about. Go somewhere where you can learn. You’ll grow from the experience, and you’ll be able to act all Buddha-like when they wonder how you dream up such good stuff.