Think Like Bill Gates - Power of New Ideas. You don't have to be "artistic" to be creative. Everyone can learn to generate bold, groundbreaking ideas by adopting a creative approach and applying the best thinking tools.
There are three key approaches to generating new ideas:
Breaking old thinking patterns.
Making new connections.
Getting fresh perspectives.
Here is what I'm trying to say in this episode. Breaking Old Thinking Patterns
We can all get stuck in certain "tracks" of thought. They may be so comfortable that we don't even realize that they're holding us back! So, to have fresh ideas, we need to break away from established patterns of thought and start to see new paths ahead.
Here are some of the best ways to do it:
A.
Challenge Your Assumptions
You likely bring a set of assumptions to each and every situation. Many of them may turn out to be true, but challenging your preconceptions can also open up some exciting possibilities.
B. Rephrase the Problem
The way you define or frame your problem can limit your creativity. If you describe the issue you're trying to solve in a different way or look at it from a different angle, new solutions can emerge.
C. Think in Reverse
If you're finding it difficult to think of a new approach, try turning the problem upside-down!
Flip the question and explore the exact opposite of what you want to achieve. This can present you with innovative ways to tackle the real issue.
D. Mix Your Media
Radical ideas can arise from tackling problems in unusual ways. A great way to do this is to apply different types of creativity – don't just talk or write about your plans, explore them through music, painting, photography, sculpture… whatever enables you to express yourself. Fresh thinking can emerge when you let your creative juices flow!
2. Making New Connections
Another way to generate new ideas is to make new and unexpected connections. Some of the best ideas seem to occur almost by chance – you see or hear something unconnected with the situation you're trying to resolve, and a lightbulb goes on in your head!
Try some of the following strategies for forging creative connections:
Random words. Pick a word at random from any document, then look for novel associations between that word and your problem.
For example, if you were exploring ways to reduce sick leave in your company, and your random word was "ball," you might hit on the idea of organizing a monthly softball game, to raise morale and motivate people to stay healthy.
Picture prompts. Images can be a great way to inspire creative thinking. Pick any image, find a connection with your problem – however tenuous – and notice any new possibilities that open up.
A picture of a giant redwood, for instance, might suggest new ways to organizes the teams and "branches" within your business.
Objects of interest. How about asking your team members to bring a small object of their choice to your next ideas meet? You could generate new ideas by asking questions such as, "How is this object like the problem we're trying to solve?" or "How could we use this object to meet our challenge?"
A stapler, say, might prompt you to consider whether people on your team are becoming disconnected. Maybe you could set up a new communications channel to "fasten" them back together?
3. Find a Fresh Perspective to everything in life!
