7 Techniques to Supercharge your Creativity and Solve your Problems
Do you ever encounter problems, challenges or obstacles in your business? If you answered 'no,' then you can stop reading and continue to rake in the fortune you must be making. For the rest of us, the answer of course is 'yes.'
For the most troubling problems, the biggest challenge is in your inability to come up with new and innovative solutions. This is because when you try to solve a problem, you probably use the same approach every time ('let me sit here and think about it until I come up with something?'). The next time you try to solve a problem, try applying any (or all) of these approaches:
1) Be Obvious - Cances are, whatever your problem is, there is some conventional wisdom about how to solve it. Ask yourself why you are not following it, and evaluate for yourself whether your reasons are valid. Sometimes the easiest solution is the one right in front of us.
2) Be Contrarian - The opposite of being obvious, being contrarian means to consider doing the opposite of what conventional wisdom says. If the standard advice is to buy, think about selling. Instead of working more, work less. Note: This does not mean you should automatically DO what the opposite is; it just means to let your mind wander over the opposite to get it working in another direction.
3) Start Where you are - Sometimes we get so caught up in the long term goal that we lose sight of where we are. Think about your problem and what you might do right now to solve it. Usually this results in frustration because we don't have a fully formed solution. But just because an idea is not fully formed does not mean that it does not have some validity. Start with your current idea and watch as new ideas present themselves.
4) Chunk up - If you can't figure out how to achieve your goal, try looking at the bigger picture. If your goal is to earn $10,000 this month and you can't figure out how, think bigger - maybe you want $10K because you want to earn six figures this year. Then start to brainstorm ways of earning six figures. Don't get so caught up on your problem that you lose sight of the bigger picture.
5) Chunk down - The opposite of chunking up. Think in terms of smaller details. Continuing with the $10K example, if you can't think of how to earn $10,000 this month, can you think of ways to earn $333 per day? Maybe, but even if you can't it gets the mind working in a new way.
6) Take a REAL Break - Stop working on the problem for a bit and let your subconscious work on it. This requires two things. First, you need to actually give your mind a break and recharge. Switching from thinking about one problem to another will not do it. Get away from the problem an your work, even if for only five minutes. Second, make sure you are not dwelling on the problem. Taking a walk to get away from work is great, but if you continue to mull over the problem your not really giving your mind a break from it.
7) Move - Get the blood flowing! Exercise, walk, run, stretch, whatever. Be it from blood flow, endorphins, or a change in focus, physical movement enhances creativity. I do some of my best thinking while shooting baskets. Find out what works for you and do it.
There are many different techniques you can use to solve a problem. Try the few above to start, and then come up with your own. Use them well, and watch yourself create new and exciting solutions faster than ever.
Avish Parashar is a professional speaker who runs seminars on creativity, teamwork, productivity, leadership, and communication using the principles of improvisational comedy.
http://www.professional-speaker-avish-parashar.com
Creativity e-book:
http://www.supercharge-your-creativity.com
MORE RESOURCES:
OneBigGame: melding charity with creativity GamePro.com It's like that at many studios, there are ideas lying around that aren't seeing the light of day, and we want take that creativity and put it to good use," ... |
Ad Shop Wins Fifth Consecutive Creative, Innovation Award in 2009 Reuters Adrenalina was recognized for its creative work in the El Ojo Classic radio category, winning a silver award for its Tecate "Disclaimer" spot, which is part ... |
Marin Interfaith Council: Spirituality and Creativity Evening San Francisco Chronicle Hear artist and author Catherine Revoir speak about the links between creative self-expression and spiritual development. Join us for a fun and expressive ... |
Can-do attitude: Kids express creativity Charleston Gazette mchenry's feel-good, do-good attitude is the driving force behind the weekly outreach program that lets community children express their creative side ... |
Stephen R. Bergerson: Copyright, not greed, behind AP lawsuit Minneapolis Star Tribune AP's Obama photo, like any photo, is protected because its photographer used creativity in selecting and framing the subject and background, choosing the ... |
Cebu Lifestyle The Secret of Winners Philippine Star The people behind Campaign Cebu's winning advertisements is its creative team, composed of creative director Bryan Onglatco, art director Luisa Avancenia, ... |
Costume creativity on parade Imperial Republican The Halloween Parade of Costumes at Chase County Schools is always an event of creativity as K-6 students come to school in costumes for the popular end of ... |
Unleashing Your Creativity While You're Moonlighting Wall Street Journal Taking on part-time work—especially in a creative arena you've always wanted to pursue—is one way to earn extra income and begin exploring new work ... |
Jones: We Never Had Any Creativity Planet Swans "We never had any creativity about us and couldn't get any tempo going, but full credit to Swansea who have the points and now we must wait until the return ... |
 New York Times | Claude Lévi-Strauss's Two-Part Harmonies New York Times He also rejected one of the fundamental features of Western thought: seeing individual self-expression as the height of creativity. ... |
Theres A Light At The End Of Your Tunnel, Called Imagination!
Imagine this. You've got this huge dream you just turned into an exciting accomplishment.
Are You Creative?
Have you ever heard the saying, "The harder I work, the luckier I get?" Guess what? That's the way it is with creative inspiration too.Don't Wait For Creative InspirationGraham Green, the famous English writer, attributes much of his success to a simple habit: He forced himself to write at least 500 words daily, whether he felt like it or not.
Improve Your Bottom Line, Kens Idea Saved over $100,000
Engaged employees can show us the way to continuously improve. Customers want our products and services to be better, delivered faster, and produced less expensively.
Connect with Your Inner Artist
In the "Roadblocks to Creativity" e-course, we look at the 7 most common things that block our creative expression. So, if we're "blocked" when we're facing those things, what are we like when we're free of them?Well, certainly we're connected to our "Inner Artist".
Think & Grow Rich
All wealth is a product of mind. Some economists will try to convince you that wealth comes from productivity.
How to Generate Ideas for Info-products?
Dear friends the current study shows that there are morethan 50,000,000 registered domain names on the Internet(approx.)(Reference http://www.
Creativity Management - Don't Write, Rewrite
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.
Creativity Management and Team Size
Effective team structure is critical when managing creativity and creative output.It appears that many individuals are effective alone - Einstein, Marco Polo etc - however, what is usually overlooked is that these people often collaborated regularly.
New Inventions - From Absurd to Wacky!
New inventions? Heard of a revolving restaurant combination television tower? How about color x-ray pictures? Or heard of a new invention that turns the sea's salt water drinkable? These are wacky new inventions not having been fully used!Are you on the lookout for shirts that don't require ironing? For $4,000.00, you are able to purchase a shirt processed out of titanium-alloy fibers interwoven with nylon.
9 Ways to Live Creatively
Creativity - according to Webster's it means having the ability or power to create; characterized by originality and expressiveness; imaginative. Ok that sounds great, wouldn't we all like to be more creative every day? Sometimes the hardest part to trying something new is the first step.
How to be More Creative and Enhance Your Creativity
efore thinking about how to be more creative, let me begin point out some real barriers that some people seem to have when wanting to enhance creativity, have a think if any of these things are applicable to you and your life;1. Lack of time.
Rejuvenate & Re-Fuel Your Inner Drive
I believe that as solo-entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives we all need a pat on the back. Give yourself commendation.
Is Your Team Suffering from FWTS?
Who do you know who is feeling stuck, under-performing, or dealing with frustration and upset?These folks might be suffering from FLAT WORLD THINKING SYNDROME! (FWTS)"Flat World Thinking Syndrome" is the number one issue standing between predictable performance and breakthrough performance. Allow me to illustrate.
Gift of a Letter
"What cannot letters inspire? They have souls; they can speak; they have in them all that force which expresses the transports of the heart; they have all the fire of our passions." Letter from Heloise to Abelard (from Gift of a Letter by Alexandra Stoddard)Just returning from the National Stationery Show in New YorkCity, I was struck by the energetic "forward motion" of thethousands of vendors still enthusiastic about the power of thehand-written note.
Creativity Myths
Sustained myths about Creativity and Innovation lead to confusion, bad practice and bad decision making. Some of them include:1.
3 Simple Steps To Solving Problems
You can move beyond your stuck states by contemplating all the possible consequences of your own particular situation.What is it that you want to work in your life?What inner obstacles prevent you from achieving the successful outcome you desire?Once you have confronted your own fears, pulled the emotional skeleton's out of your mental closet, then you will be ready to take stock of your current situation, look at it objectively, and try out new strategies.
Quiz -- Are You Creative?
Worried you may not be creative or you may not be creative enough? This quiz will help you find out just how creative you are.Take a piece of paper and number it from one to seven.
Creativity Management - Artists and Creativity
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.
A New Discovery Of An Old Secret
Some years ago, when the world seemed to close in on me and I felt asthough I was trapped between the sword and the wall, I made an excitingdiscovery. Actually, it was a phenomenon that was as old as dirt but ittook on significant meanings for me because it freed me from all myproblems and all the stresses and pressures that were being imposed uponme.
Make EVERY DAY An Artist Retreat Day
What do you enjoy most about going on an Artist Retreat Day? For most of us it's getting away from our "normal routine", having our creativity sparked by new surroundings and having the luxury of "open time" to work on our creative projects.A retreat gives us the opportunity to step outside the day-to-day and look at the big picture of our creative dreams.
