Journey Into Creative Thinking

How many times have you caught yourself thinking there has to be another way to solve this problem only to come up blank.

How often have you felt frustrated because you knew exactly what the  problem was but had not ideal of how to solve it.  No idea, nada, zip, zero, just can’t come up with the RIGHT solution no matter how hard you try.  Matter of fact, the more you try the further away the solution drifts from your mind.

The number of  possible solution  may be exhausting and too overwhelming to come up with a single answer.  Maybe you feel like you’re walking up the side of a mountain to get to the other side only to find another mountain once you reach the top.  The pressure to find THE ANSWER  puts you in overload.

 

But celebrate! There is hope!

When you get creative you can look at your problems and see them in a different light.  The solution may be right under your nose and you just can’t see it.

First you need to be open minded and allow for the fact there is probably more than one solution to the problem.  That creates an environment to take an unsolvable problem to a solvable solution.   With a positive mindset you can get more creative in solving a problem.

• Trying writing down all the possible solutions.  Just put everything down on paper.  Even if one of your ideas for a solution is far-fetched. 
• Don’t restrain your thinking. 
• Explore funny ideas or even foolish ideas
• Look at the problems through the eyes of a scientist, or athletic, artist or child
• Allow yourself to be playful
• Let go of fears, judgment’s, assumptions, biases or criticisms
• Visualize to see new opportunities, and think creatively.
• Define the problem by asking questions
• Who, how, what, when, where and why.
• Recall past experiences both good and bad
• Explore strategies identifying the benefits, drawbacks and obstacles. 

Sometimes you have to venture into uncharted territory to make progress fully knowing problems are an opportunity in disguise.

Here is one example of the creative process at work.

Take a piece of paper and write any word that comes to mind at the center. Now look at that word then write the first two words that come to your mind. This can go on until you can build a tree of related words. This helps you build analogical skills, and fortify your creative processes.

So, next time you see a problem you think you can not solve, think again. The solution might just be staring you right in the face. All it takes is just a little creative thinking, some planning, and a whole lot of work.