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Ideas for "CREATIVE THINKING!" 


By Ange Fonce

"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size."
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

You could safely call me a sucker for things that serve a double purpose... a storage chest that is also a coffee table... a floor wax that is also a dessert topping... getting married on your wife to be birthday... you name it.

And so dear reader... this article will serve a double duty too. 

So... what is our topic? 

Ideas... and how to get them... I know... I know... you are thinking... that sounds kinda broad... does it not?

Yes it does. 

What I would like to get at the same time... is a smorgasbord of secrets that will help you blast your way out of any creative back hole. 

I have to confess... I shared some bad advice in the past... that is... I gave my readers a run down of the brainstorming rules that are very popular. 

You know these rules... 

1... No judgement in early stages. 

2... Encourage wild or stupid ideas.

3... Forbid discussion

4... Ban criticism.

5... Make the process visible.

6... Impose time limits.

This is by the way... probably the most widely used brainstorming method worldwide. 

So how is it bad advice?

Simple... it is bad advice because it does not work.

Sure... a system like this makes everybody feel good... and that is the point... it is just “feel good”... it is like one big hug all round the table or tepee... and sure... meetings with these rules can fill white boards with stuff... and in the end... the net results either do not get executed or force you to build upon the weakest contribution... because basically this feel good stuff is usually bullshit... and is not practicable or actionable... and hence usually totally useless and a BIG waste of time.

It took awhile... and I see that now. 

In fact... after being involved in other peoples projects... where the attitude has been “feel good” and nothing or little was ever achieved or acquired... and a lot of time and resources were wasted... I have come around to thinking and practicing that we NEED some hard talking judgement during brainstorming... we also NEED REAL AUTHENTIC discussion about the practicalities and what is possible to achieve... and if a few eggshells and egos get broken in the process... so be it. 

The “best thinkers” are brave enough to handle it... and it is not just me who has this attitude.

This has proven out in testing... as reported in a book I have praised and recommend to my clients as required reading... the book is called... "Where Good Ideas Come From" by Steve Johnson... which I will encourage you again to make sure you read or listen to in audio form.

Starting this past spring... I have been teaching another approach instead... it is not so much a one off step by step thing... rather it is a revelation for you...about how ideas come about best. 



The short version goes like this...

To get big ideas... there are no short cuts... there is only a process... and the good news is that simply by recognizing how this process works... you will almost immediately start finding yourself more creatively productive... so what is the process?

Simply that creativity demands... 

1... Time.

2... Chaos... yes you read that right... chaos. 

3... Connectivity. 

Again not exactly the most satisfying discovery for the short cut inclined... and honestly... ever since I have started actively thinking this way... and employing outcome based thinking I have enjoyed how well the process can work and have added my own touch... here is a summary of the process. 

1... All good ideas “germinate” and “evolve”... so the sooner you get started the better... likewise you will need a way to revisit ideas and build on them over time. 

2... Very few great ideas come out of a “deliberate decision” to be brilliant... meanwhile the list of great discoveries that came about thanks to accidents is too long to share... feed in the maximum number of inputs and see what happens... your output will be better for it.

3... Opportunity favours the “connected mind” says Johnson in his book... and he gives examples from Pixar to MIT to make his case... there has never been an easier time in history to be connected with others who can help shape your ideas too.

Or if you REALLY need steps to follow... you can reorder and simplify the process like this... 

1... Fill your brain with stuff to create chaos.

2... Talk obsessively and communicate about it to make connections.

3... Keep working on ideas over time.

You will notice... there is nothing instant about it... yet it really is how most ideas happen and evolve... and it really is the most productive way in the end... by the way... somewhere in talking about these three dimensions of real creativity... I always have to talk about the secret of accelerated failure.

That is, the best way to make the best use of your time while being creative... is simply to be creative early and aggressively... to the point of failure...  in fact... failure turns out to be the key some of historys greatest successes... the light bulb for instance... only came about after thousands of failed attempts. 

Groups and individuals that fail actually end up being more productive than groups and individuals that try too hard not too... and is it not obvious why? 

The latter group and individual takes no risks... as every investor in anything... knows without risk there is rarely fortune... or great benefit... or artistry.

Then there is what is called the "Q" factor... this was in the book Imagine by Jonah Lehrer... "Q" was how researchers measured relationships between creative collaborators... the more you know the people you are working with... the higher the "Q" factor. 

What was funny was that both low "Q"... relatively unfamiliar relationships and high "Q"...very familiar working relationships turn out not to be such a good thing. 

The ideal is a mix of people who know each other well and people who do not... that is what leads to the most successes.



So what else have we got here on the creativity cutting board?

First... a few tidbits on how other great thinkers came up with ideas... great writers... such as Hemingway would sharpened pencils to get warmed up for his writing day... John Steinbeck wrote warm up letters to his publisher... and Douglas Adams took baths to help him think... Herschel Gordon Lewis who is a great copy writer... recommends staring into the mirror for 10 minutes at the start of your day... convincing yourself you are about to kick major persuasive rump on the page.

Here is my take on "out of the box" ideas on how to get into a more creative mindset... which I will summarize here: 

1... Keep a journal every morning.

2... Constantly add a change to your routine.

3... Study a new technique per week.

4... Take a walk... a shower... a drive.

5... Nurture a creative interest.

6... Use mind maps to visualize ideas.

7... Solve puzzles often.

8... Imitate a creative hero.

9... Read... a lot. .. and then read even more.

All these things can help you blow out the cobwebs and kick start your mind.

It is key by the way... that when you start down any path for generating ideas... you will need some way to organize whatever bubbles up... I modified a technique I learned from a teacher in college for writing college papers... naturally I retooled it for personal development... and today I actually do all of what follows the good old fashioned way... using a pencil... you can rub out pencil if you make a mistake and write things down.

It goes something like this: 

Get index cards and create a space for five piles... labeled as follows... 

1... The Idea

2... The Goal to be acquired

3... The Plan of how to achieve the Goal

4... The Facts of what you need to make the Goal happen

5... The Action to take to Acquire the Goal 

And as you jot down bits of research... just drop the cards into the most appropriate pile... and what you should have is a much more sort able and easy to navigate bunch of research to help you put your plans into action.

If you can record your research as headline and body copy language as you go... all the better... you will notice... these are all just ways to pour more info into your brain for adding to that chaotic... creative storm. 

Also here are more methods for getting those creative juices flowing...

* Jump at every chance to go to conferences.

* Listen to experts in radio interviews.

* Listen to related audio books and pod casts.

* Take classes in what you want to achieve.

* Record meetings and listen back on an iPod.

* Find big thinkers relevant to your goals.

* Study related best sellers in your category to what you want to achieve and acquire. 

Again... while doing these kinds of things to help you get started... I encourage you to take notes directly...  you will find it saves you a lot of time and can really get you rolling... when you hit the right tidbit of information.



Here is one more bit for you... 

One of the big questions about big ideas is of course... what makes them BIG in the first place?

For that... the general wisdom is that... like beauty and other things... you will know it when you see it... that is a big idea simply feels "big." 

And I can offer you a closing list of possible characteristics to help you...

1... Big Ideas Have Instant Appeal...

That is... for an idea to be “big”... it has jack into your brain like a lighting bolt... if you cannot express it in an instant... it is usual not going to work.

2... Big Ideas Have Momentum...

These days... we call these ideas that have momentum... "going viral"... great ideas ride a swell of shared desire or interest.

3... Big Ideas Are Timely...

Timeliness means not just riding that popular wave... it is also hopping on your board at the right moment that is... you need to beat the headlines... yet not by too much.

4... Big Ideas Are Original... 

An idea feels biggest when you are the first to say it... if it cannot be all new... and it is evolving an existing idea... then at least add a twist of new information... utility... benefit or opinion.

5... Big Ideas Have Depth...

Ideas that will not much change a persons life are not “big”... aim for profound impact. 

6... Big Ideas Are Emotionally Stirring...

This is the key... Fear... Desire... Anger... Lust... Frustration... Love and ultimately... Success... are all common driving emotions.

There is more of course... lots more... and I think what we have got above gives us both plenty to chew on... so do you have Ideas about Creative Thinking?

Drop me a line and share them with me.

Thank you and may you enjoy a Prosperous and Dynamic day!

Yours Sincerely



Ange is an  Author... Speaker... and Dynamic Peak Performance Personal Development Consultant... and Humanistic Counselling Psychologist and Sexologist... who works with men and women who desire to personally develop themselves and their relationships to become Dynamic Lifers... creators of their own life and wealth! 


To CONTACT Ange CLICK HERE



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