Inside each of us lies a sleeping giant, the part of us that is wild and crazy. We need only to re-position the giant’s energy toward thinking, especially playful thinking, silly thinking. Many of us keep the giant hidden from view because of the unpredictability. With “new-ideas” thinking, the unpredictability is exactly what is needed. You do not want to present the tried and true. Rather, you want to open your brain to exploring alternatives and possibilities. Each new-idea represents a break with your traditional thinking. Each idea, wild and crazy as it might be, reveals a window of opportunity for the future.
STARTING POINT — Again, be certain you have selected your thinking-focus. It could be the same focus you used with informational, emotional, cautionary and getting-it-done thinking. However, because you are learning how to think and how to CHANGE your thinking, you are free to choose another focus.
To begin arousing your sleeping giant, I am going to share some things I do to open my wild and silly brain. Some of these come from my work with lateral thinking. Others come from own historical struggles to find ways to release long-held practices. For example, releasing my brain from years of academic writing was a significant journey.
WHAT IF … — Taking my thinking focus, I start the arousing process with some simple “what if” thought exercises — most related to change. These exercises make my brain dance. Sometimes it is an energetic tap dance that begins slowly with simple tap steps. What if I changed the mission for the project? What if I changed the customers I would serve? What if I changed the results I wanted to achieve? What if I changed the values that will be produced by the project?
As my list grows and I stretch my brain, I may delve deeper into the tap-dance what-if questions. The questions may now change slightly from “what if” to “what might happen if.” The dance is now more flowing than energetic, more like the tango. Now the questions refocus the playful side of the giant. What might happen if I changed the objectives of the project? What might happen if I changed the people who are involved in the project?
RATTLING THE BRAIN CAGE — Each “what if” question leads me to explore possible answers. Each answer that surprises or startles me arouses my giant even more. Putting forth these answers forces me out of my comfort-zone. The cage that I built around my own brain is rattled, significantly. As I allow each answer to be a stepping stone to more detailed answers and to newer, more imaginative possibilities, the cage starts dissolving. Each possibility now becomes a dance that moves toward making things better.
GETTING UNSTUCK — Occasionally, my brain refuses to produce anything. Now is the time to call for silliness — a silliness that is quite acceptable under lateral thinking. Sometimes I begin with two unrelated items — a corkscrew and an ambulance. I now look for things that are similar about the two. [I'll let you play with your own version of the similarities!] Then, I look for how the similarities might be related to my thinking-focus. Each similarity may take my thinking in new directions.
For a second silliness, think of any word. Simply ask the word-gods to send you a word that will unstick your silly thinking. Ask yourself all of the relationship questions you want. Let yourself be silly. If these two actions do not get you unstuck, simply look around for any object or any behavior that comes into your view. Then, ask yourself how this object or behavior relates to your thinking-focus. Trust me, the answers will remove you totally from your comfort-zone! You will truly know how to make things better.
IN THE END — De Bono refers to “new-ideas” thinking as “creative thinking” and suggests the metaphor of “seedling thinking.” New ideas need care and protection, much as the seedling. To this kind of thinking de Bono assigns Green Hat status — green which suggests vegetation that needs nurturing. As the Green Hat sits more and more comfortably on your head, share your learning and understanding with others. Then, watch to see how new ideas emerge through your giant’s arousal. You will change things. You will make things better. Be pleased with your awakened giant who will always help you.
Virginia L. McBride, The Haven Maven Founder, EPROW Images Creator, “IT’S ALL ABOUT THE THINKING” Virginia builds personalized “thinking environments” to strengthen innovative thought. Working with EPROW Images, clients break from traditional thinking to move toward wild and crazy ideas. This break exposes opportunities. To qualify for a free 30-minute consultation, submit a “pitch” through EPROW’s PAPPY program => http://www.eprowimages.com
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