Think creative

T h i n k U n s t u c kta n n e r c h r i s t e n s e n

Think Unstuck ! ! 1

Copyright 2010 Tanner Christensen.

Visit www.ThinkUnstuck.com.

First edition: May 2010.

Christensen, Tanner Think Unstuck. First edition.

ISBN: 978-0-578-05881-8

Think Unstuck ! ! 2

http://www.ThinkUnstuck.com

http://www.ThinkUnstuck.com

For all the creative thinkers, dreamers, researchers, educators, artists, and everyone else who colored

outside of the lines at one point or another.

Think Unstuck ! ! 3

Think Unstuck ! ! 4

The truth.

We’ve all been there.

! Sitting in front of a blank sheet of paper or

computer screen and feeling utterly stuck. No

matter how hard you try there is little you can do to

get unstuck. Your mind is completely out of ideas

and you feel helpless. This feeling of being

creatively stuck can be incredibly daunting.

! The truth is that we all experience the feeling

of being mentally stuck from time to time. You are

bound to find yourself stuck at sooner or later,

unable to come up with new ideas or solutions to a

problem you may be having.

! You don’t have to stay stuck, though. The

good news is that there are many ways for you to

get unstuck – a numberless amount, to be exact.

! Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas

Edison, Madame Curie, Walt Disney, and Charles

Darwin are just a few of the millions of people

throughout history who have discovered the power

of becoming unstuck. They have shown the world

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that getting unstuck is possible, but you first have to

know where to start.

! So, where do you start? The best place to

begin understanding the art of becoming unstuck is

to explore why we get stuck in the first place.

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“Why do we get stuck?”

In his book, “Cracking Creativity,” Michael Michalko

compares our minds to a bowl of ice cream.

! If you pour a spoonful of hot water over a

bowl of ice cream repetitively, the water will begin

to form deep grooves in the ice cream. If you keep

pouring, eventually the water will begin to

constantly follow a set path in the ice cream, carving

the trail even deeper.

! When information is poured into our mind it

flows like water over ice cream, into grooves or

paths. After a short while, these “grooves” in our

thinking become very deep. New information is

then likely to flow into our mind just like old

information, through previously created “grooves.”

! The grooves that form when we take in

information from the world around us are helpful

because it’s a way of thinking that has helped

humankind for hundreds of thousands of years.

! Even when faced with completely new

information, our brains will try to automatically

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spill the information into an existing groove – or

pattern of thinking – to process that data quickly.

Having new information flow into existing paths is

a convenient way of processing data or new

information, and it’s worked to help human beings

for thousands and thousands of years.

! Getting unstuck means that we need to find

new paths in our mind for the information that we

come across every day. We need to create different

ways for us to focus our attention, translate new

information, and interpret everything in our day-to-

day lives. This book will help you create new routes

for the information you absorb every day.

Think Unstuck ! ! 8

How to use this book.

If you quickly flip through this book you’ll realize

that it is unlike most of the books you may have

ever read.

! Each page of this book is filled with a way

for you get unstuck. That is: every page holds a

way for you to create a new path for information to

flow into your brain. The ideas in this book will help

you ultimately find inspiration and get past a state

of creative block.

! It should be noted that this book is not

meant to be read front-to-back. In-fact: the best way

to read this book is to randomly flip to a page

whenever you feel creatively stuck, pick a number,

and go with whatever idea is behind that number.

! If one technique doesn’t seem to be working

for you, don’t hesitate to try two or three of the

methods explained throughout these pages.

!

Think Unstuck ! ! 9

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1. Go outside.

The phrase “outside the box” applies not only to

your brain, it applies to your physical state as well.

! Sitting indoors for any amount of time –

whether it’s in your office or in a café – forces your

mind to jump from one thing to the next almost

automatically. Being indoors, or even in a heavily

populated urban area, forces your brain to work

hard almost constantly.

! Going outdoors – into nature and under the

sun – allows your mind to float freely in a state of

“effortless attention.”

! Rachel and Stephen Kaplan, two famous

environmental research psychologists from the

University of Michigan, have even coined a term for

the creative benefits of going outdoors to think:

attention restoration theory (or ART).

! If the weather is bearable where you are, go

outside to think for a while.


2. Simplify.

You’ve likely heard of the acronym “K-I-S-S” or,

“keep it simple and stupid.”

! The principal of K-I-S-S was first coined by

Clarence Johnson, an aircraft engineer during the

early 1930s. Johnson believed that, by searching for

simple solutions, problems could be solved in

powerfully simple ways. This “simple” philosophy

is what led Johnson to develop an “H” styled tail for

airliners, which solved a major stability problem for

the industry.

! Ask yourself: “what is the absolute simplest

thing I could do?”

! Acknowledge that the absolute simplest

solution may be the best solution to pursue for your

current situation or problem.

! What is the simplest solution and how can

you make it happen?


3. Reuse an old idea.

Reusing an old idea to solve a new problem is an

easy way to find a solution, it’s also a great way to

fuel new ideas.

! Thomas Edison kept records of his ideas in

over 3,000 notebooks; he would often scan through

his past ideas to create new ones or to solve new

problems using old methods. If it wasn’t for his

reuse of old ideas, Edison would never have crafted

the reliable, long-lasting, electric light bulb.

! An idea journal is a great way to make sure

you never miss an opportunity to reuse an old idea.

! If you already have a journal, look through it

right now for inspiration. If you don’t already have

an idea journal, now would be a great time to start

one. Write in your idea journal any thoughts or

ideas that are stirring around in your head right

now, no matter what they are. Look to past ideas to

solve your current dilemma.


4. Think backwards.

Instead of working towards a goal, reverse your

thinking by working backwards.

! Kanzi, a Bonobo – or pygmy – chimpanzee,

known for being a featured subject in several

ground breaking studies, demonstrated the

powerful effect of working backwards when he

created stone tools by smashing regular stones

together and then using the remaining bits of

broken pieces as his tools going forward.

! If a pygmy chimpanzee can use backwards

thinking to solve problems, there’s no reason why

you can’t too.

! Think up the ideal, perfect result for your

problem or situation, then use your imagination to

determine how you got there. Working backwards

from your imaginary steps, write down each step it

takes to reach your ideal goal, then act on the

process you just thought of.


5. Reverse your perspective.

Ask yourself: “What if my problem or situation was

the opposite of what it currently is?”

! Scott Adams uses a reverse-perspective

technique to come up with creative ideas for his

world-famous comic strip “Dilbert.” The perspective

reversing technique works so well for Adams, it will

undoubtedly work for you too. Whenever he gets

stuck on what to do for a new comic, Adams asks

himself: “What if it’s the opposite?”

! How would you behave if your perspective

was reversed? What could you do if the source of

your problem or situation was reversed?

! Reverse your perspective of the problem or of

the solution you’re searching for and you will easily

find a way to get unstuck. If it fails, take a look at a

Dilbert comic strip and try to see the perspective that

Adams reversed.


6. Read a random page in a book.

Grab a book – the closest book to you other than this

one – and open it to a random page. Read the entire

page and then try to relate whatever it is that you

read to your current problem or situation.

! Steve Jobs, cofounder of one of the world’s

most popular computer and software

manufacturers, believes that connecting ideas of

seemingly unrelated things is the key to creativity.

! Here’s what Steve has to say on the theory:

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask

a creative person how they did something, they may

feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it,

they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them

after a while.”

! Open up a book and read a random page,

then find a way to relate what you read to your

problem or situation.


7. Do something unusual.

Try a new blend of unique foods, stay up late

tonight and watch infomercials, or listen to a genre

of music that you normally despise. Do anything

that you wouldn’t normally do.

! Experiences affect how we create new ideas.

Our experiences help us think up new possibilities

about the world around us, and the best experiences

are always the ones that are unusual to us because

they force us to expand our knowledge and

experience something new.

! If you’re not fully convinced that new, unique

experiences are a great way to get creatively

unstuck, look back at the previous idea in this book

(6. Read a random page in a book) and see what

Steve Jobs, cofounder of Apple computers, has to

say about experiences and how they affect creativity.

! Try something unusual right now.


8. Dramatically change your pace.

For the next five minutes, try working at a much

faster or slower pace than you currently are or have

been attempting.

! Changing your pace can be refreshing and

help refuel your creativity. Even reading at a

different pace than you normally do could inspire

your creativity.

! By slowing your pace down dramatically,

you allow your mind to focus on things you would

otherwise miss or skip over. By speeding up your

pace, you create a sense of urgency, forcing your

brain to go into “production” mode.

! If anything, working at an extremely different

pace will help you feel reenergized by forcing your

mind to work a little bit harder.

! Take five minutes and try working at an

extremely different pace.


9. Ask a stranger for inspiration.

Sometimes the best way to get unstuck is to simply

ask someone else for their thoughts or opinions.

! Strangers may hold a surprising solution to

getting unstuck. The reason asking a stranger for

inspiration works is simply because a stranger

undoubtedly will have a perspective or opinion on

something that you never could have seen or

thought of before.

! Asking a stranger for insight is, by-far, the

easiest way to gain new insights into the world

around us, as well as fuel your creativity by learning

something new or from a different perspective.

! By asking a stranger for help you could learn

something that not only solves your problem, but

changes your mind about a different idea as well.

You won’t know until you get out there and ask,

right? So, go ask a stranger.


10. Take a break.

Stop whatever it is you are doing right now and

take a break.

! Watch a movie, get something to eat, relax

however you know how, do anything but what you

were doing before you started reading this book.

Give your mind a break from all the hard work it’s

been doing and let it recharge.

! Lynn Bradley, a writer and former broadcast

engineer-announcer, is an avid believer in taking

breaks. A few reasons Bradley believes taking breaks

is beneficial include: breaks relax your mind, they

allow your subconscious to work on the problem,

and they ultimately make life and work a little more

enjoyable. Who could argue with such positive

points as those?

! Take a break right now for a few minutes,

setting a timer if you feel the need.


11. Get rid of the unnecessary.

Does your problem or situation really need to

involve all of the things that it currently does? Get

rid of unnecessary elements to make getting

unstuck easier.

! Look at your problem – or think of the ideal

solution – and for each individual aspect ask

yourself whether it’s vital to success. If a piece of

your problem doesn’t have an impact on your ideal

result, get rid of it. If your problem includes things

out of your control or that don’t fully affect the end

result, you can make things easier on yourself by

ignoring or getting rid of them.

! First, identify which elements of your

problem or situation are unnecessary, then get rid of

them by throwing them out or ignoring them

completely.

! Do what you can to get rid of the

unnecessary elements in your problem or situation.


12. Ask “What would ______ do?”

Seeing your problems or situations from another

person’s perspective is a powerful way to getting

unstuck.

! Asking yourself: “What would someone else

do?”, is an easy and effective way to getting yourself

to think creatively.

! What would one of your best friends do if

they were in your shoes? What if you were your

pet? Imagine what your parents or relatives would

do in your situation. If you don’t have any idea of

what someone would do in your situation, call them

up on the phone or sit down with them in person

and ask.

! Use your imagination to determine what

someone else would do if you must, and remember:

the more realistic your imaginary perspective is, the

more realistic your outcome will be.

! Ask yourself: “What would _________ do?”


13. Look at things upside down.

If you don’t remember sitting upside down as a

child and gawking at how fascinating things looked,

now is a great time to remind yourself.

! Literally sit upside down and look around

you for a few minutes. What does the world look

like when the ceiling becomes the floor? How do

you feel about being on the roof with the rest of the

world beneath you? Does an upside down world

affect your problem or situation?

! By looking at their problem upside down,

Heinz – a world leading ketchup manufacturer –

was able to design an upside down ketchup bottle,

dramatically increasing sales of their product and

increasing customer satisfaction globally.

! Changing your perspective by looking at

things upside down could help you see things you

couldn’t see before. Sit upside down however you

can and take a look around.


14. Get dirty.

Either physically or mentally: get a little dirty.

Throw some dirt around if you have to.

! Chances are that you live in a fairly clean and

modern part of the world, one where you are

regularly washing your hands and avoiding spills.

It’s time to break with your typical, clean patterns

and explore the messy side of your creativity.

! Grab some painting, cooking, or craft

supplies – you could even try gathering up some

dirt or mud – and get your hands dirty. Don’t worry

about creating a mess, the goal is to get past your

fear of being dirty and force your mind to embrace

creative possibilities.

! Getting dirty has worked for artists and

painters for hundreds of years, so it couldn’t hurt

you to try. Besides: if things get too messy, you can

always wash up afterwards.


15. Find the simplest solution.

No matter how complicated your problem is, focus

on finding the absolute simplest solution. Don’t

confuse finding the simplest solution with

simplifying your entire problem.

! Celebrated writer and philosopher, Henry

David Thoreau, often wrote and talked about the

power of simple solutions. Thoreau was so fond of

simplicity that he has been quoted as saying:

“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your

affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a

thousand. Instead of a million count half a dozen,

and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail.”

! Find the simplest solution by wording your

problem as one sentence and then thinking of the

first – which is often the simplest – solution. Don’t

over think your ideal solution, especially when you

don’t need to.


16. Use a different medium.

Use a different medium to draw or map out

potential ideas.

! Pablo Picasso’s first words, according to his

Mother, were “piz, piz,” which is a shortened term

for the word “pencil.” Picasso was extremely

passionate about drawing from a very early age, but

if he had only stuck to drawing with pencils he may

never have helped to create the Cubist (a primarily

paint-focused) art movement.

! Explore your creative potential by using

different mediums. Rather than drawing with a

pencil, buy some sidewalk chalk. Why type on the

computer when you could write out your ideas on a

whiteboard?

! Because different mediums produce different

types of results, you may discover unimagined

thoughts or outcomes. Look for solutions to your

problems by using a different medium.


17. Do something unexpected.

Ask friends or complete strangers for ideas to your

problem to find out what people would expect.

Then decide to do something that nobody would

expect.

! When Apple released the iPod mp3 player –

with its scroll wheel, rather than buttons, for

controlling the device – the world was shocked. Just

a few years later, the iPod became the new standard

for mp3 players, scroll wheel and all. The iPod

became so successful simply, in-part, because it was

something that nobody expected, but worked

remarkably well.

! Do something unexpected and do not

concern yourself with what people will think of it

initially. Your idea could become the next iPod, but

you won’t know until you try by doing the

unexpected.


18. Watch the end of a movie.

Motivate your creativity visually by watching the

ending of a random movie.

! Whatever resolution the characters in the film

find, you should try to relate to your problem or

situation.

! Movies are notorious for their problem-

climax-solution format, so by watching the end of a

movie you may find all the creative inspiration you

need to solve your own problem. In any case,

watching a movie might be enough visual

stimulation to inspire you to think creatively

regardless of how the movie ends or how the plot of

the movie is resolved in the last 30 minutes.

! In-fact, you may find that this technique

works best with creative movies, like the

typography-focused documentary “Helvetica,” by

Gary Hustwit. Whatever the movie, find inspiration

by watching the last 20 to 30 minutes.


19. Do the exact opposite of what

everyone else is doing.

Ask yourself “What does everyone else do in this

situation?” Then do the exact opposite.

! In the early nineteenth century a French

painter by the name of Georges Braques decided,

along with Pablo Picasso, to bring the influence of

simplistic painting styles from Africa to Europe.

Nobody was doing simple, line-focused paintings

back then, so with a few strokes of the brush

Braques, along with Picasso, had begun the Cubism

art movement.

! The well-known artists, Picasso and

Braques ,looked at what every other painter during

their time was doing and did the opposite. Rather

than focusing on details, they focused on simplicity.

! Ask what everyone else does in your general

situation, then find a way to do the exact opposite.


20. Answer your own questions.

Get out a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil, write

down several questions related to your problem and

then try to answer each of them one at a time.

! If you can’t answer a question, make up an

answer … realistic or not.

! Searching for the answers to your questions

is a powerful way to explore your creative thoughts.

Physically seeing questions or answers related to

your problem written out lets you view your

problem and potential answers in the real world,

not simply as ideas floating around in your head.

! As the legendary American author Lloyd

Alexander once said: “We learn more by looking for

the answer to a question and not finding it than we

do from learning the answer itself.”

! Search for answers starting now.


21. Emphasize your flaws.

What are your personal flaws? What happens if you

take your flaws and emphasize them in your

situation or problem?

! If we never worked on our flaws the burden

of being perfect would overwhelm us. If you have

never tried to relate your flaws to other problems –

like being creatively stuck – then you have missed

an opportunity to not only get unstuck, but also to

improve yourself.

! Create an idea that really demonstrates your

weaknesses, or an idea that depicts your fears or

worst talents. Dig deep inside of yourself (or just ask

others what your flaws might be) and try to use

your flaws to build up your creative ideas.

! Inspiration can be found in our flaws, but

we’re often too afraid to look. Ask yourself what

your flaws are, then try to find a way to build on

them in order to create ideas.


22. Think with friends.

Get a group of friends together, make some snacks,

and think together.

! Not only is thinking of ideas with a group of

friends a powerful way to gain new perspectives, it

can build up your friendships and ultimately lead

you to other sources of inspiration.

! Aristotle often discussed the value of

friendship. He’s quoted as saying that “a friend is a

second self.” If you could think with multiple

versions of yourself, would you? Gather a few

friends and you can have the thinking power of

several people you trust, rather than just yourself.

! Sit down with friends to think over your

situation or problem, you will not only find creative

inspiration, but you’ll most likely have fun in the

process of coming up with ideas as well.


23. Ask a child for their opinion.

Children typically have wild, uninhibited

imaginations. Ask a child for their opinion on your

problem and the answer you get could be one hell of

a great solution.

! Sir Ken Robinson, a writer and remarkable

creative thinker, believes that children are an

incredible source for creativity. In his book, “The

Element,” Sir Robinson states: “young children are

wonderfully confident in their own imaginations.

Most of us lose this confidence as we grow up. Ask a

class of first graders which of them thinks they’re

creative and they’ll all put their hands up.”

! Unlike adults, children aren’t afraid of being

creative even on the chance they might be wrong.

! Even if you don’t have a problem, talk and

play with children often, their creativity could

eventually rub off on you.


24. Open up a window.

Opening your window when it’s daytime can allow

sunlight in, increasing not only your mood but also

your cognitive abilities. Opening your window at

night can refreshen your attitude with some much-

needed fresh air.

! Researchers at the Washington University

School of Medicine tested the affects of sunlight

with a select group of elderly and found that

sunlight not only increased mood in the

participants, but also improved their cognitive

thinking ability.

! In a day and age where sitting indoors all day

is the norm, sunlight and fresh air are hard to come

by on a regular basis.

! Open up a window or door to get sunlight

and fresh air. Your mind and body will thank you

for it by thinking more proficiently.


25. Take a 15 minute nap.

Even if you don’t feel tired, letting your brain and

body relax for 15 minutes is the perfect way to feel

rejuvenated and get unstuck.

! Sara Mednick, a medical researcher and

author of the renown creativity book “Take a Nap!”

believes that naps can boost creativity in powerful

ways. According to Mednick, napping allows your

subconscious mind to create associations between

seemingly unrelated knowledge; she says: “if you

take a nap with REM sleep, you’re actually going to

be boosting your ability to make these new

associations in creative ways.”

! Mednick believes so strongly that naps have

such an impact on our creativity, she attempts to

take them several times a week.

! Grab a timer and sit back – or lay down – and

take a short, 15 minute power nap.


26. Think smaller.

View your problem as being much smaller than it

really is.

! By viewing your problem or situation as

being smaller than it is, the problem will seem less

daunting and solutions may seem larger, making

them easier to find.

! It may be difficult to convince yourself that

your problem is really smaller than it appears, but

it’s not impossible. Evaluate the problem and

consider the most important question posed by

innovative entrepreneur and author of “The 4-Hour

Workweek” Tim Ferriss: “What’s the worst that could

happen?”

! Realistically, the worst that could happen is

probably not as bad as you think. So take a minute

to realize that the situation or problem that is

constricting your creative thinking is really smaller

than it appears.


27. Change your perspective.

Physically change your perspective, right now,

however you can.

! Author of the creative thinking book

“Cracking Creativity” Michael Michalko wrote:

“What … Copernicus [and] Darwin really achieved

was not the discovery of a new theory, but a fertile

new point of view.”

! When we solve a problem for the first time

we are more inclined to solve a similar problem the

same way in the future. Change your perspective

and your mind has to find a new way to solve the

problem you’re facing.

! By changing your physical perspective you

start to see solutions that you couldn’t have seen

from your natural perspective.

! Sit upside down, walk around with your

head tilted to the side, do something to change the

way you literally look at the world around you.


28. Think abstractly.

Abstract thinking is when you generalize an idea by

reducing the information behind it to just the

information which is essential for a specific purpose

or goal. Take a few minutes to think abstractly now.

! Vincent Van Gogh, a famous Dutch painter

from the 1800s, used abstract thinking to create

paintings of countrysides and portraits. Van Gogh’s

abstract style inspired thousands of painters and, as

a result, produced an incredible amount of work

that is displayed in museums all around the world.

! If abstraction worked for Vincent Van Gogh,

thinking abstractly about a problem could work for

you too.

! Ask yourself: “How can I reduce the

information behind my problem to just the essential

information?” How can you think abstractly to get

unstuck right now?


29. Disprove the facts.

What are 10 facts about your problem or situation

that are absolute fact? How could you force a

change to at least one of those facts?

! Write down the first 10 undeniable facts you

can think of and then try to think of what you could

do to change at least one of them. Use your

imagination and don’t hesitate to push boundaries

in any way you can.

! The author – and accomplished musician,

sculptor, as well as painter - Robert Fulghum

believes that using your imagination is more

powerful than any fact could ever be. Fulghum once

said: “I believe that the imagination is stronger than

knowledge, myth is more potent than history,

dreams are more powerful than facts.”

! First, define 10 facts related to your problem

or your situation, then use your imagination to

change at least one of those fact.


30. Ask “Why?”

Sometimes the problem you are looking at now isn’t

the same problem you should be trying to solve.

Ask yourself: “Why” several times to find the true

source of what ever is hindering creativity.

! Sakichi Toyoda, founder of Toyota Industries

and the unofficial “King of Japanese Inventors,”

developed a famous technique for solving problems

that involves asking the question: “Why?” exactly

five times.

! Asking “Why?” five times has helped Toyota

Motor Corporation evolve to such a powerful car

manufacturing company that the technique of

asking “Why?” is now a natural part of training for

the Toyota Production System. It worked for Toyota,

it can work for you too.

! By asking “Why?” you can easily determine

if the question or problem you’re facing now is

really a problem at all.


31. Reward yourself.

Set a goal for getting unstuck – a simple, achievable

goal – then give yourself a reward if and when you

reach the goal.

! Rewards are great motivators because they

focus our attention. Rewards will not work,

however, if your goal is too broad or complicated.

! Daniel Pink is a successful author of

revolutionary books about changing the world of

work, he has spoken several times on the impact of

setting rewards for goals such as getting unstuck.

After looking into hundreds of research projects on

the subject, Mr. Pink concluded that rewarding

yourself will help you get unstuck, but only if you

set predefined rules before determining a reward.

! Set a goal for getting unstuck, but not just a

random goal; create specific rules for your goal, then

reward yourself when you reach or exceed it.


32. Sleep on it.

Let your brain take a break from working for the

day and get some sleep.

! Paul McCartney, a well-known musician who

played with a little band by the name of The Beatles,

woke up from a relaxed sleep when a melody for a

new song struck him. The song that McCartney

“dreamed up” was titled “Yesterday” and is now

rumored by many musicians around the globe to be

one of the most covered songs in history.

! Your problem or project will still be there for

you tomorrow, and by getting some sleep your brain

will be fully charged and ready to take on the world

again. Sleep works as a creative motivator because it

is one of the easiest ways to break thinking patterns

and refresh creative thinking.

! Put away everything, walk away from the

problem for today, and go get some sleep.


33. Find connections between

unrelated things.

Think of – or find – a random object and try to find a

way to connect it to your problem or current

situation.

! Steve Jobs, cofounder of Apple computers,

once said: “creativity is just connecting things.” By

connecting unrelated items you are forcing your

brain to search for inspiration in places you

otherwise would overlook, or not even think to look

in the first place.

! To find connections between unrelated things

you can ask several questions, such as: “What do

these things have in common,” or “If these things

were one in the same, what would the result look

like?”

! To get unstuck, ask yourself what two or

more unrelated things have in common.


34. Listen to a new genre of music.

If you’re looking for inspiration to get unstuck,

listening to a genre of music you typically don’t

listen to will help you.

! Multiple studies have shown that music

affects our minds at primal and rudimentary levels.

The rhythm that our bodies often follow – consider

a heartbeat, for example – can be affected by the

music we listen to. By listening to a new genre of

music you are exposing yourself to new rhythms

and potentially an entire new culture.

! Music can also energize your mind and cause

inactive areas of your brain to suddenly become

active. It’s through new music that you can easily

awaken parts of your creative mind.

! To be inspired: tune-in to a type of music

you’ve never heard before and turn the volume up.


35. Hire someone to do the work.

An easy way to get unstuck is to outsource the

problem to somebody else.

! There is usually somebody who will gladly

help you out for a price you can afford. It may

sound like cheating, but in reality: there is a creative

type of growth that you can experience by

outsourcing your work.

! Having someone else worry about your

problem cannot only get the problem solved, but

you might also learn something from the solution

that is presented – something you couldn’t have

learned on your own.

! There’s never anything wrong with using

somebody else’s creativity to help yourself, just be

sure to give credit where it’s due and try to find

inspiration from the results. Hire someone else to do

the work if you can afford it, if not, try bartering or

arranging a beneficial deal.


36. Write a short poem.

Write a poem about your situation. An answer you

may find in your well-written, new creation.

! One way to jolt your creative thinking is to

constrain yourself to one method of expression,

poetry for example.

! By trying to write a poem about your

problem – whether you’ve done it before or not – is

a powerful way to force your creativity into motion.

Be spontaneous and limit yourself to a few lines of

poetry to get the absolute best results from writing a

short poem.

! In-fact: try writing three or four poems

related to your problem or situation, rather than just

one.

! If you’re feeling stuck, like your mind is in a

rut: don’t forget what you’ve just read, quickly write

a short poem instead.

!


37. Act it out.

Imagine that you are your problem – whether it’s a

person, a project, or an idea – and act out your

present situation.

! Use your imagination to be realistic or silly

and apply your problem or situation to a physical

character. Ask yourself questions such as: “How

might my idea act if it were a real person?” And: “If

my current situation were to take on a physical

persona, what would it do during a typical day?”

Then try acting out the character you have created

in your mind.

! Using your imagination in a playful and

explorative way like this allows your mind to step

around any real-world limitations and lets you

literally see your problem or situation from a

completely new perspective.

! How can you act out why you’re stuck?


38. Pretend you’re a cartoon.

Use your imagination to pretend that you’re a

cartoon character, faced with the same problem of

becoming unstuck.

! As a cartoon character, the laws of the real

world don’t apply to you. You can do almost

anything and go almost anywhere in order to solve

your problem or move forward from a particular

situation.

! Think of yourself as your favorite cartoon

character, either from your early childhood or even

your favorite character now, if you have one. In a

cartoon world, where there are no limitations, what

would you do to solve your problem? How would

you behave in your current predicament?

! Once you begin to imagine how you would

act as a cartoon character, try to find ways to link

your character – how he or she would act in your

real situation – back to the real world.


39. Get up and dance.

Wiggle your arms, do the twist, or simply jump up

and down. Get your body moving by dancing

however you can.

! In 2005, a development agency in England

studied the ways dancing affects creativity amongst

academic students. During the six-week study,

students participated in an hour long dance lesson

followed by a one-hour writing class.

! During their writing class, the students were

asked to try to relate the attitudes and movements

they experienced during dance class to their writing

assignments.

! The result was that the quality of writing

“improved greatly” in every student. If dancing

helped students to use creativity in their work,

dancing can inspire you too.

! Get up and dance. Try to relate how you feel

when you’re dancing to your problem.


40. People watch.

Create stories for people you see out in public. Then

ask yourself: “how would that person handle my

problem?”

! If you watch strangers out on the street long

enough, you can easily use your imagination to

create a persona for each of them. Once you have an

imaginary persona for a stranger you can mentally

remove yourself from being creatively stuck.

Instead, imagine how a stranger would solve your

problem.

! By removing yourself from your problem or

situation, you’re allowing your mind to pursue

creative outcomes that may initially seem far-

fetched to you, but may not be for a stranger.

! Ask yourself why someone is doing

something specific out in public, create a story for

that person and then ask “what would that person

do if they were in my shoes?”


41. List as many different

scenarios as you can.

Using a pencil and a notebook, or a computer, list as

many different possible scenarios related to why

you’re stuck as you can.

! Linus Pauling, an American chemist, author,

and educator, once said: “The best way to get a good

idea is to have lots of ideas.”

! Pauling’s advice about coming up with many

ideas to get one good idea not only led him to take

tremendous strides in his work with molecular

medicine and medical research, his insights also had

him named one of the 20 greatest scientists of all

time by New Scientist magazine.

! Creating many potential scenarios for your

situation or problem will allow you to find at least

one good one. Start coming up with as many

scenarios as you can right now.


42. Just say no.

Any idea or direction that pops into your head, say

“No” to and then try to move onto a different idea.

! Saying no to ideas forces your mind to

pursue further ideas, while not limiting the

potential of other ideas.

! It’s not just creative thinkers who have to say

“no” to ideas though. Successful businesses have

understood the power of “no” for years. Take Apple

computers, for example, internally the company

says “no” to a lot of ideas every day. Tim Cook,

Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, has been quoted as

saying: “We say no to good ideas every day [at

Apple]. ... it’s saying no to many products that are

good ideas, but just not nearly as good as the other

ones.”

! Say “no” to your ideas. When you find an

idea that you really can’t say no to, well, then you’re

unstuck.


43. Use a different tool.

Use a different tool to come up with ideas.

! Using a notepad to jot down your ideas? Put

it away and try using a whiteboard. Solving a

puzzle with your hands? Put your hands into your

pockets and use only your mouth. Instead of using

the tools you have been using to come up with ideas

or to solve your problem: try using a different tool

or set of tools.

! From the way a marker creates bold, smooth

lines, to the way chalk breaks apart against a board,

the tool you use to manage ideas can greatly affect

your creativity. You won’t know the full extent of

how different tools can benefit you until you try

using different ones.

! It’s possible that your stuck because of the

tools your using, not because of the problem itself.

! Experiment with a different tool or set of

tools to get unstuck right now.


44. Set an unrealistic goal.

Set an unbelievably unrealistic goal – or goals – and

try to reach them.

! Make sure the goal you set is really

unrealistic, then try to reach that goal through any

means possible.

! As the director of the record-breaking 1997

film “Titanic,” James Cameron, said: “If you set your

goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will

fail above everyone else’s success.”

! The key to setting goals that are creative is to

avoid systematic, or “left brained” goals. That is: set

goals that you can see, feel, or express, rather than

goals that which can only be understood with

logical reasoning. For example, an unrealistic and

creative goal could be to come up with 1,000

brilliant ideas for a new movie in one minute.

! Reach for Saturn and you may just hit the

Moon. Set an unrealistic goal, then try to reach it.


45. Ignore unnecessary obstacles.

First, identify unnecessary obstacles that are in your

way of being creative, then choose to ignore them.

! To determine what’s unnecessary, ask

yourself questions such as: “Are there limitations

I’ve put in place that won’t affect the end result?” or

“Are there any restrictions that won’t affect how my

problem – or situation – gets resolved?” You could

even ask: “If I remove an element from this, will it

directly impact my end goal?”

! Sometimes we face obstacles or limits that are

unnecessary, but we don’t realize that they can be

ignored until it’s too late. In some cases, you may

need to simply ignore unnecessary obstacles to get

around them.

! Look at the obstacles which are preventing

you from making progress right now, then decide

which are realistically unnecessary and make an

effort to ignore them at all costs.


46. Do a few simple chores.

Take some time to do chores or mundane work and

let your mind wander while you do.

! Doing easy chores will not only help you to

obtain a feeling of productivity, chores like washing

the dishes or vacuuming allow your conscious mind

to wander while your subconscious goes through

the routine motions of your chores.

! It’s during these almost-meditative states of

idle thinking that great ideas are often created.

! Allowing yourself to step away from a

problem and let your mind mull over it over

naturally is a key aspect of being creative. Edward

de Bono - sometimes referred to as the “Father of

Creativity” – believed that taking a short break from

a problem and participating in idle thinking was a

valuable way to solve the original problem.

! Take a break right now and try to do a few

simple chores.


47. Start from scratch.

Think up a new problem or scenario by starting

completely from scratch.

! Sometimes starting from the very beginning

is the only thing you can do when you get stuck. If

you feel like you’re already at the beginning of

being stuck, you can go back to a point before you

felt stuck, then move forward using a different route

or strategy than before.

! One of the best things about problem solving

is that there is usually more than one way to go

about finding an answer. All you have to do is go

back to the start – repeatedly – until you find the

perfect path to a solution.

! Believing that there is a “right” way to do

something and a “wrong” way to do something is a

fallacy, and only hinders your creativity. Don’t be

afraid to pursue a “wrong” path by starting over.

! Start over from scratch.


48. Work in a larger group.

Get a few people together to help you get unstuck.

! In his book, “The Wisdom of Crowds,” James

Surowiecki addresses the power of crowds,

summarizing the benefits with the following insight:

“Under the right circumstances, groups are

remarkably intelligent, and are often smarter than

the smartest people in them … We should stop

hunting [experts] and ask the crowd … Chances are,

it knows.”

! Working in groups is efficient for getting

unstuck because everyone has different experiences

in life that influence the way they view and solve

problems.

! The more people you have helping you to get

unstuck, the more likely you are to be successful. Of

course, the key thing to remember here is: don’t be

afraid to ask for help.

! Try to get a large thinking group together.


49. Make a joke.

Make a joke out of whatever is on your mind and

you’ll see how easy – and fun – it can be to get

unstuck.

! Making a joke out of a problem or situation

ultimately lets you confront reality without being

restricted by the thought of results or consequences,

and sometimes that’s all you need to be creative.

! In the article titled “Using Humor to Boost

Creativity,” Paul McGhee of LaughterRemedy.com

explains why a good joke can get you thinking

creatively in no time. Paul explains that humor

supports creative thinking by “emotionally

distancing you from the problem” and that “most

people think more creatively when they’re not so

serious and intently focused on the task … and the

pressure is off.”

! Try taking some pressure off of your situation

by making a joke out of being stuck.


50. Take a vacation.

Reenergize your body and mind with a relaxing

vacation. It can be a big getaway, or just a day in bed

with a good book.

! Vacations are great creative motivators for a

multitude of obvious reasons. By taking a vacation

you can recharge your creative “battery” and

prevent burnout. A vacation allows you to connect

with yourself and discover new and reinvigorating

experiences that you couldn’t experience without

getting away from your regular work routine. And a

vacation let’s you discover another perspective to

your possibly routine day-to-day life.

! If you can, take a vacation to another country

– or at least another town – to experience a different

perspective on things in your life.

! Call your boss, tell your friends, take a brief

vacation and do anything but what you typically do

in a workday.


51. Give yourself constraints.

Even if you already have constraints set in place,

constrain yourself even more.

! Only think in verbs, only draw ideas out by

using shapes, restrict yourself to painting only in a

tiny space, force yourself to use only your hands, or

do something else that will constrain your thoughts

or results in a sizable way.

! Piet Mondrain was a Dutch painter during

the 1930s who constricted his work to straight lines,

90-degree angles, and primary colors. As a result of

the constraints he used, Piet helped usher in

modernism art and create Neo-Plasticism.

! Constraints can often be helpful to creative

thinking because they force you to work with a

single focus in mind, which makes it easier to ignore

anything outside of that focus and really get things

done.

! Give yourself a few constraints.


52. Jump in.

Pretend like you know what you’re doing – even if

you really have no idea – and jump into getting

yourself unstuck.

! In “The Element,” author and creative genius

Sir Ken Robinson discusses the power our attitudes

play in how we view the world and, as a result, how

our worldview affects our ability to create. Sir

Robinson states that the way we think about a

particular situation acts as a “filter on what we

perceive and how we think.”

! Sir Robinson isn’t at all alone in the thought

that our attitude affects almost everything we do. As

Buddha once said: “All that we are is the result of

what we have thought. The mind is everything.

What we think, we become.”

! Start getting unstuck by pretending that you

know what you’re doing. You will quickly find

reality following your “can do” attitude.


53. Read a biography.

Read a large part of a biography. It can be a

biography of anyone at all – try not to be too picky.

! The best thing about biographies is what can

help you get unstuck: they often include one

person’s recollection of a problem, and how that

individual solved the problem.

! Because we only experience the world from

our own perspective, it becomes harder and harder

to see events or problems from any other

perspective or angle. A biography allows you to

look at the world through someone else’s eyes

momentarily. With a biography, you can read about

how a person solved a problem and then relate what

they did to your situation.

! Expand your perspective on the world and

pick up a biography to read. If you don’t have time

to read the entire biography skip to the middle and

read for as long as you can.


54. Create an analogy.

Create an analogy for your problem or situation,

relating it to something you are familiar with.

! An analogy is a comparison between two

things. Often analogies are used to describe an

object or situation in terms a person already

understands.

! In his book, “The Element,” creative savant Sir

Ken Robinson, states: “Growth comes through

analogy, through seeing how things connect rather

than only seeing how they might be different.”

! Imagine that your problem is like an

uncooked noodle. The problem may just be a noodle

right now, but with a little hot water and some

analogical sauce, it could turn into something really

tasty.

! What types of analogies could you create for

your problem?


55. Imagine that you are finished.

Imagine that you have finished your project.

! Ask yourself: “what affect would it have if I

was finished?” If the project or problem you are

currently faced with were finished and you were to

look back at it, what would you ideally change?

! Use these questions as referencing points on

what to do next. For example: if finishing your

project means you could work on something else,

consider working on that something else right now

for a few moments and then coming back to getting

unstuck. If you imagine that you are finished and

you look back at your imagined results to find

things you would like to change, make those

“changes” right now, so you don’t have to when

you are really finished.

! Use your imagination to see yourself as

unstuck, ask questions about the imaginary results

and use the answers to help get you unstuck.


56. Free write.

Write as fast, honest, and detailed as you possibly

can for three minutes.

! Grab a pencil or pen, a piece of paper, and

write about whatever comes to you right now. Try

not to worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar,

or any writing rules – simply write for three minutes

without stopping.

! Free writing allows you to ignore your inner

critic and instead focus on a creative thinking

process. Through free writing you will discover

ideas that were subdued in your conscious mind,

but only if you completely relax and write without

too much concentration.

! The goal of free writing isn’t to write

something that reads well, the goal should be to

discover new ideas through random thought. If

anything: free writing can be fun.

! Take at least three minutes to free write.


57. Combine ideas.

Think of a few ideas and then combine them to

create a new idea that can help you get unstuck.

! To use this technique: think of two or three

different ideas, ideas that already exist or crazy,

imaginary ideas of your own. Something like a

mechanical pencil or a stretchable sticker. Once you

have a few ideas combine them to form a new idea –

a mechanical sticker that stretches, for example.

! Combining ideas is one of the best creative

thinking strategies that has been proven to work

throughout history. The concept for this book, for

example, came up when the idea of creative

thinking strategies and the idea of a field-guide

were put combined.

! Quickly think of a few ideas related to your

problem or situation, then think of ways you could

combine the ideas.


58. Learn something new.

Learn a new hobby, a new technique for something

you already do, or a new and interesting fact.

! A large aspect of creativity is ultimately a

result of your ability to relate what you know to

what you don’t know. By learning something new

you are increasing your creative capacity and

improving your chances of getting unstuck.

! Look to your local community for

opportunities to learn something, or ask a friend

who may have a talent or hobby you could learn

about. You could even open up a book or search the

internet to learn something new right now. Look

outside the area of things you already have interest

in and, instead, try to learn something new that you

have previously not had an interest in.

! Make an effort to learn something new and

you will find creative inspiration in the process.


59. Stop and go.

The next thought that pops into your head, go with

it. No matter what the idea is, see where it can take

you by going with it.

! After working with your first idea, think of a

different idea related to it, but don’t pursue it.

Instead, move onto yet another idea – again similar

to your first – and go with it, to come up with

another related idea.

! An alternate method to “stop and go” is burst

thinking: for five minutes concentrate on producing

ideas or solutions, then stop and take a break for

five minutes – sitting and not focusing on thinking,

then focus on thinking for another five minutes.

Repeat the process until you feel inspired.

! You may have to repeat the process of “stop

and go” several times before you begin to see

results, but this type of thinking pattern is always

worth trying if you’re stuck.


60. Break with routine.

Take a risk and experience something new with

your daily routine.

! Something as small as taking a different road

to the store, or showering before breakfast, or even

putting your socks on before your pants, is all you

need to get thinking creatively.

! While routines are great for getting our

minds and bodies into a healthy rhythm, breaking

with routine is one of the “biggest advantages of

having routines,” to quote the creative writer and

designer Jack Cheng.

! Give yourself a burst of creativity by

breaking with whatever routine you’re currently

running in. Your mind, and whatever you’re

currently stuck on, will thank you.

! Break with your daily routine and try

something new right now.


61. Cook something.

Even if you can’t cook well, go into the kitchen and

try to cook something simple right now.

! Cooking enables you to relax your mind,

helps you to focus on a single task, and excites the

part of your brain that is used for creative planning

and problem solving.

! By experimenting with cooking – having fun

with the ingredients and physically mixing things

together – you are presenting your mind with a

physical problem to solve. You should be able to

instinctively associate cooking with your creative

problem or situation.

! To get unstuck, get into the frame of mind

related to cooking: having fun, mixing ideas, and

creating something. If you don’t get unstuck by the

end of the day, at least you’ll have something to eat.

! Get cooking!


62. Exercise.

Exercise to energize your body and mind by getting

your blood flowing.

! Thirty minutes of exercise has been found to

increase creativity, and it doesn’t have to be

excessive exercise like a workout class or exercise set

at your local gym.

! In a 2005 study titled “Aerobic Exercise and

Cognitive Creativity: Immediate and Residual Effects”

researchers discovered that “creative potential will

be greater upon completion of moderate aerobic

exercise than when not preceded by exercise...”

! Exercise causes your body to release special

chemicals designed to improve thinking and to

create a certain type of “good feeling.” As a result of

exercise your mind will be chemically charged, and

your body will be energized and ready for problem

solving.

! Take a few minutes to exercise.


63. Discuss your situation with

the least creative person you

know.

Who is the least creative person you know? Ask

them what they would do in your situation, then do

what they suggest.

! Often, someone you might consider as being

the least creative person you know can come up

with solutions or ideas that are easier than anything

you could have thought up on your own.

! Creativity is a relative term, so even if you

think someone isn’t creative, they in-fact are, only

on different terms than what you may consider to be

creative.

! Get a different perspective from someone

with a different level of creativity and you will see

how easy it is to find creative inspiration.


64. Find inspiration in quotes.

Search for quotes related to your problem and read

them aloud for inspiration.

! Ask yourself: “What am I ultimately trying to

achieve by getting unstuck?” Look through

inspirational and simple quotes related to your

answer to that question.

! The wisdom of other, great creative thinkers

is often provided in small quotes. If you’re feeling

stuck, a quote could be all you need to feel inspired

and get motivated again.

! Here’s a quote by the great American author

Henry David Thoreau to get you started: “If you

have built castles in the air, your work need not be

lost; that is where they should be. Now put

foundations under them.”

! Read through inspirational quotes to find

creative inspiration or motivation.


65. Word shuffle.

Create a “word shuffle” for inspiration.

! Here’s how to create a word shuffle: first

write a few words on some index cards or small

pieces of paper, one word on each. Then mix the

cards up and place two side-by-side. Try as hard as

you can to come up with a new idea from the phrase

that results from the two cards.

! As an example: imagine that you write a few

types of animals on several index cards, then types

of machines on other cards. In this example, you

will draw a card from each stack to produce

something similar to: “Giraffe Electric Scooter.” Use

the results to inspire your creativity and get you

thinking in irregular ways.

! A word shuffle will help your brain to form

new ideas around familiar ones, a perfect method to

getting unstuck.


66. Sketch.

Use your artistic abilities – or lack thereof – to sketch

something on a sheet of paper.

! It doesn’t matter what you sketch (or if you

are any good at it), just grab a piece of paper and a

pencil or pen or marker, then draw.

! Not only does drawing make you simply feel

as though you’re creative, being able to physically

see ideas drawn out on paper allows your brain to

literally see your thoughts and thinking patterns.

! Being able to work with visual cues makes

the process of problem solving easy for some

people, it could help you too.

! Take a few minutes to sketch freely on a sheet

of paper, paying no attention to the quality of your

drawing. Focus solely on getting your thoughts onto

paper in a visual way.


67. Set a deadline.

Set a deadline for yourself. Make the deadline

reasonable, but don’t be too lenient. If you already

have a deadline, set a new deadline for a date or

time that is much sooner.

! The pressure of a deadline may jumpstart

your creative thinking, something that many people

falsely believe to be untrue.

! Deadlines – while they may cause stress as a

result of feeling stuck – can help you to ignore

tempting distraction and force you to focus. A

focused mind is a powerful mind.

! To emphasize the importance of setting a

deadline to maintain focus, a quote from best-selling

author Peter McWilliams: “Our thoughts create our

reality – where we put our focus is the direction we

tend to go.”

! Get focused by setting a deadline.


68. Use your senses.

Use as many of your senses – touch, sight, smell,

hearing, and taste – as you can for the next 15

minutes.

! Walk into another room and smell different

objects, feel your way around wherever you are,

close your eyes and listen to even the most minute

sounds, taste whatever you can, focus your eyes on

a specific item, or use all of your senses in as many

was as possible.

! We absorb experiences through our senses

every day, often taking our incredible abilities for

granted. By focusing your attention on your senses

you are activating the parts of your mind that

literally create the world you live in. Senses can also

help you to recall previous experiences or events in

your life that could help you to get unstuck right

now.

! Focus your attention on your senses.


69. Take a shower.

A shower isn’t merely the perfect opportunity to get

clean, it’s the perfect opportunity for something

called “creative pause.”

! The man who is believed to originally have

coined the phrase “creative pause,” Edward de

Bono, defines it as a deliberate pause to think of

solutions to a problem … even if the problem

doesn’t seem important.

! Bono declared: “some of the best results come

when people stop to think about things that no one

else has stopped to think about.” The shower is the

perfect place to go in order to stop and passively

think about your problem or situation and why

you’re feeling stuck.

! Allow yourself a moment of creative pause -

or idle thinking - by taking a brief, worry-free , and

comfortable shower.


70. Start from the middle.

Instead of worrying about where to start or what to

expect for an ending, work on what comes after the

start but just before the ending.

! If your project is to write a story, for example,

consider what the middle of the story would be.

! Writers have used the technique of starting

from the middle to write novels for a very long time,

cartoonists and film writers have done the same. By

starting from the middle you are sidestepping some

of the biggest concerns with creative thinking: how

to start and what to expect as a result.

! Start from the middle of your problem and

work towards the end. When you reach a point

where you’re feeling creative and as though you’re

making progress, go back and do the beginning to

match the middle you’ve created.


71. Avoid making progress.

Prohibit yourself from making any progress. Don’t

let yourself do anything that is progressive for at

least 30 minutes.

! To inspire your creativity: keep your focus on

your problem or situation, but don’t make any effort

to solve the problem or move forward.

! By maintaining focus on your problem but

avoiding progress, you allow your mind to

passively think of related creative ideas without the

pressure of doing something about it. Thinking

without acting is incredibly powerful when it comes

to getting unstuck.

! Take 30 minutes to avoid making any

progress on your problem and simply think about it,

after the time is up jump back into getting unstuck.

As former American President Andrew Jackson

said: “Take time to deliberate; but when the time for

action arrives, stop thinking and go in.”


72. Focus on the process.

Focus on the process of being creative, rather than

the results you are looking for.

! Take a step back to evaluate the process you

are using for getting unstuck, then ask yourself:

“How can I change my process to get unstuck?” or

“Am I stuck because of the process I am using?”

! Changing your process – rather than your

thinking or the tools you’re using – can help you get

unstuck more often than not. You simply need to

focus on the actual process you’re using to see

where you’re getting stuck.

! Focus on the process you’re using to achieve

results and try to forget about your expected results.

If you find that your current process isn’t working

for you, find another process that is different or

unique to you.


73. Meditate.

Take some time to get comfortable in a quiet area,

then let your mind wander aimlessly for a few

minutes through meditation.

! Meditation improves creative thinking by

providing an environment for insight.

! Frederick Franck was an artist and author of

over 30 books on Buddhism and meditation. Franck

believed that meditation could give us the clarity we

need to be truly creative, he said of meditation: “We

need a way to detach ourselves from an

environment constantly bombarding us with noise,

agitation and visual stimuli. We need to establish an

environment for recovering our unspoiled creative

core, an oasis of undivided attention, and an island

of silence.”

! Take a few minutes now – and each day after

today – to relax, breathe slowly, and give your brain

the break it deserves through meditation.


74. Create a mind map.

Build a mind map to visualize what you’re getting

stuck on.

! A mind map is a visual representation of

ideas and how they relate to each other. To create a

mind map: write an idea in the center of a piece of

paper. Then write down ideas that are related and

connect them to the main one. Repeat that process

several times until you begin to see new ideas form

from completely unrelated ideas.

! Creating a mind map is valuable because it

gets around most of the limitations of other creative

mapping techniques; the point of a mind map is to

quickly and efficiently find links between ideas.

! Mind maps are ideal for creating visual maps

of related ideas, but they’re also great for recalling

existing memories that can aid you in getting

unstuck. Sit yourself down and quickly put together

a mind map of your own to get unstuck.


75. Lower your standards.!

Lower your standards and expect results that are

subpar.

! It’s possible that you are stuck because you

have been expecting results that shouldn’t be

expected.

! If you’re stuck – whether you can’t get

started on a project or you can’t find a solution to a

problem – lower your standards to make progress.

Rather than focusing on the quality of results, focus

on getting anything out the door or on a piece of

paper or on the computer screen.

! Lowering your standards allows you to work

at an easier pace, think of less-popular ideas, and

ultimately (with a little luck) achieve results. More

often than not, subpar results may end up being

better than forced results.

! Take a risk by lowering your standards and

do whatever it takes to get something done.


76. Copy somebody else’s idea.

Independent filmmaker, Jim Jarmusch, said it best

with this quote:

! “Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere

that resonates with inspiration or fuels your

imagination.

! Devour old films, new films, music, books,

paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random

conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs,

trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows.

Select only things to steal from that speak directly to

your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will

be authentic. ...always remember what Jean-Luc

Godard said: ‘It’s not where you take things from,

it’s where you take them to.’”

! Copy somebody else’s idea and make it into

your own; be sure to give credit where credit is due

(otherwise it would be stealing).


77. Collaborate with a friend.

Bounce ideas back and forth with a close friend.

! A friend may have a good idea based on their

own experiences and knowledge, which is

guaranteed to be different from your own. The

benefits of collaborating with a friend are seemingly

countless. You can get the opinion of a friend while

having fun and avoiding stressing over your project

or goals.

! Another reason friends are a great resource

for creative thinking is because they have your best

interest in mind. A friend will want to help you, and

may have the insight or advice you need to get

unstuck. You won’t know until you try to

collaborate with a close friend though.

! Ask a friend to collaborate with you on your

problem or situation and see what you can come up

with as a result.


78. Gamble.

Make a friendly bet – with a relative or friend – that

you will come up with a great idea or solution to a

problem in a certain amount of time.

! Try not to bet anything of great value, but do

bet on something that will motivate you enough to

get yourself unstuck.

! Betting things like washing a friend’s car for

a week, or paying for dinner, or wearing pajamas to

work for a day are all good ways to motivate

yourself to get unstuck.

! The added pressure of a bet makes it easier

for you to focus and get something created. While

pressure can sometimes hinder creativity, a friendly

wager could be the extra boost you need to get

unstuck quickly.

! Think of something you can safely bet on

with a friend, then bet that you’ll get unstuck and

do your best to win the bet.


79. Do something daring.

Go skydiving. Befriend a complete stranger. Swim

with sharks. Do anything that you would consider

to be daring.

! Daring experiences – like skydiving, for

example – are ideal ways to reroute preexisting

thinking paths in your mind. Daring experiences

give your brain a jump start, like a car battery

hooked up to jumper cables. To give your brain a

good jolt you need to do something daring, and by

doing something new you are expanding your

perspective on the world.

! Mark Twain said it best when he said:

“Twenty years from now you will be more

disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by

the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail

away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in

your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

! Do something daring to get unstuck.


80. Pick a different number.

OK, so this is really just a way to get you to see what

other ideas are in this book, but doing so will help

you get unstuck.

! There are so many different ways for you to

get unstuck that the best way to ensure that you

start thinking creatively is to pursue two or three

different techniques, many of which are outlined in

this book.

! Take a minute to sit back and relax, then flip

to another page and pick a different number to

inspire your creativity.


81. Quickly create several ideas.

Set a goal to reach a certain number of ideas in a

short amount of time.

! Sit down with a pen or pencil, or in front of

your computer, and list as many ideas as you can

until you reach your limit.

! A little added pressure – like that of a goal or

time constraint – allows you to consider even silly or

unrealistic ideas, which often end up being some of

the best and completely realistic ideas. Time frames

are good for focusing because they force you to

ignore the unnecessary aspects of a situation.

! There are no excuses here, you must reach

your limit within the timeframe you’ve set for

yourself. Write down any idea you can. Force

yourself to get unstuck.

! Quickly create several ideas and write them

down. Revise each idea once you’re finished.


82. Solve somebody else’s problem.

Find a problem that someone has and try to solve it.

! By helping someone else with their problem

you are relieving that stressful part of creative

thinking which is so common when trying to solve

your own problem. Solving somebody else’s

problem allows you to think creatively without

worrying too much about what the results may be.

! The impact of helping someone else with

their creative problem is that you open yourself to

thinking creatively. Not only does helping someone

else make it easier for you to find inspiration by

adjusting your focus, it also will likely make you

feel good too.

! Help somebody else with creative solutions

or possibilities and you’ll not only feel good about

yourself for helping somebody else, you’ll also

increase the likelihood of getting unstuck.

! Help solve somebody else's problem today.


83. Stretch.

Invigorate your body and mind by standing up and

stretching your arms, legs, shoulders, and neck. Do

relaxing, stretching exercises for at least five minutes

and then get back to work.

! Stretching allows both your mind and your

body to relax and release tension that may be

constricting your thinking, literally.

! By stretching, you are increasing blood flow

throughout your body. Increased blood flow equals

increased energy levels and an increase in mood.

! Give yourself a few minutes to stretch really

well and you might find yourself feeling

reinvigorated, in a better mood, and ready to tackle

getting unstuck. You have nothing to lose by

stretching in whatever ways you can, so try

stretching right now and see what happens.


84. Physically build something.

Build something using physical materials.

! Use paper and glue, wood and a hammer,

your favorite brand of small plastic blocks, or

anything you can find near you to physically build

something with your hands.

! The different materials you work with, the

process you use to build something, and the end

result are all great resources for creative inspiration.

! Physically putting something together is a

fundamental building block of creativity in most of

our lives. Try to remember back to when you were

younger, when you would use your imagination

and the materials you had handy to create

something fun, when physically building something

helped you discover yourself and the power of your

imagination.

! Rediscover your imagination and physically

build something with whatever materials you can.


85. Connect random ideas.

Connect random ideas to form new ideas or

concepts around similar themes.

! In a 2007 Fast Company article titled

“Connecting the Dots,” Mark Dziersk summarizes

creativity and connecting ideas by saying: “Many

advances in … creativity are largely about making

connections that haven’t before been made: [such as]

peanut butter and chocolate.”

! To connect random ideas: first think of an

object or idea, then think of another that is

completely different from the first. Ask yourself

what the two ideas or objects have in common. With

the first two idea’s common connection in mind,

think of another object that has that connection as

well.

! Continue to connect objects and ideas

randomly until you feel inspired or can’t think of

any other connections.


86. Write a letter to a therapist.

If you don’t have a therapist, just write a letter to

yourself as if you were writing to a therapist.

! In your letter: explain exactly what it is you

are trying to do, how you would ideally do it, and

why you feel stuck.

! While you don’t have to send the letter to

anyone, the process of writing about your situation

is extremely therapeutic and often enough to spark

creative inspiration.

! An idea or creative goal is nothing more than

an invisible thought in your mind. Writing an idea

down – in the form of a letter to a therapist, for

example – makes it something you can physically

see and interact with. Writing your ideas and goals

down can make them “real” and help you feel

creatively motivated.

! Write a letter to a therapist – real or not –

about what you’re trying to achieve.


87. Get into a physical routine.

Get used to having a physical routine associated

with feeling creative or inspired.

! If you don’t already have a physical action

that you can associate with feeling creative, start

creating one today.

! Whenever you feel creative, create a physical

routine for yourself by doing jumping jacks, getting

up and walking around, or simply by standing up

and then sitting back down repeatedly.

! The next time you get stuck on an idea, go

through your physical routine and your brain will

get the hint to be creative. Similar to how a specific

smell or sound can remind you of something that

happened to you previously, a physical routine can

be an easy, creative reminder to yourself. Even small

physical actions can be enough to remind your brain

that it’s “time to be creative.”

! Get into a creative physical routine.


88. Think in the bathroom.

Go into the nearest bathroom, sit down, and give

your brain a break by forgetting about whatever it is

you’ve been thinking about.

! Bathrooms are often the most personal and

quiet places you can be in, for good reason; though

you don’t have to think in the bathroom, try to get

yourself away from noise, away from the computer

or video games, away from pencils and paper, away

from distractions, and just sit in a quiet place – like a

bathroom – for a few minutes.

! When you’re sitting in a quiet and personal

space it becomes easier to forget about the stresses

and influences of the world outside of your

thinking. In the bathroom it’s just you, your

thoughts, and the walls around you...a perfect place

for creative thinking.

! Try to find a quiet place – such as a bathroom

– and think to yourself for a few minutes.


89. Remind yourself that you are a

creative person.

Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are

a creative person. Say it out loud: “I am creative!”

! It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we are all

creative. We are all born with the creative intuition

to put the square peg in the square hole. We all use

our creative minds to learn language and speak and

draw. Even as we grow older, we all use our

creativity to solve problems every day. What to

wear, how to fit all of your things in a drawer, how

to solve a problem at work or in a relationship.

! You use your creativity for many things every

day, so remind yourself of the fact that you are

creative.

! Reminding yourself that you are creative will

take you one step closer to getting unstuck.


90. Bounce around between

multiple projects.

Work on another project or work on solving a

different problem for a few minutes, then go back to

your current problem or situation. Repeat.

! Spend five minutes on one project, then five

minutes on another, bounce around between

projects for half an hour or until you feel creatively

exhausted.

! By working on two things simultaneously,

you are causing your brain to ignore the sorting and

categorization of what it is you’re doing. In short:

you’re telling your brain to be random and creative

with thoughts.

! Bouncing between projects works best when

the projects or problems are similar in nature – for

example: writing assignments or poetry.

! Try bouncing between problems.


91. Take a sick day.

Spend the day all by yourself, in bed.

! Forget about any projects or work that you

have to do, though you will want to keep a

notebook and pen nearby so you can jot down any

creative ideas that may pop into your head as the

day goes by.

! A relaxing “sick day” allows you to refresh

your thinking patterns, which may be stuck due to

regular creativity drains such as work or school.

! Plan a few creative activities for your sick

day, such as painting or writing, to really boost your

creative thinking.

! As David Abelman, Vice President at A.C.

Moore Arts & Crafts once said: “With a little

planning, a sick day can be filled with creativity and

learning.”

! Take a sick day to relax and participate in

some easy, creative thinking exercises or activities.


92. Write about being stuck.

Write about what you think is keeping you from

getting unstuck and what it feels like to be stuck.

! Writing down your reasons for feeling stuck

is an easy way to evaluate and find solutions to the

barriers that are keeping you from being creative.

! Writing also helps you improve your critical

thinking abilities, as reported in a 2006 study titled

“Learning to Improve: Using Writing to Increase Critical

Thinking Performance in General Education Biology” by

Ian Quitadamo and Martha Kurtz. The study

compared two groups of students, one group which

participated in a writing exercise and another group

which did not. The results of the study showed that:

“analysis and inference skills increased significantly

in the writing group but not the non-writing

group.”

! Write about being stuck in order to evaluate

the reasons you’re stuck and find inspiration.


93. Read an odd magazine.

Stop by your local magazine shop or bookstore and

pick up a wacky or odd magazine.

! Grab a magazine with a cover that makes you

laugh or cringe – the kind of magazine that makes

you react to whatever is written in it. Try to read the

magazine cover to cover in your search for creative

inspiration.

! It’s often in the places we least expect to find

creativity that we find inspiration, odd magazines

are definitely full of creative inspiration because

they tend to be so different from what you might

normally read.

! Feeling stuck can be daunting, but if you

actively pursue creativity in places like odd

magazines you are bound to find inspiration. As the

renowned neurologist and psychologist Sigmund

Freud wrote: “When inspiration does not come to

meet me, I go halfway to meet it.”


94. Ask yourself: “Should I?”

Ask yourself if you should really be pursuing what

you are currently trying to do.

! Should you really be trying to solve that

problem right now? Should you really be attempting

to create something today? Should you really try to

be creative? Maybe you shouldn’t try to become

unstuck at all. Instead, consider not attempting to be

creative for a little while.

! Stepping back to evaluate what you’re doing

can often be a step forward.

! When you focus your attention on a specific

problem – or on a detailed part of a problem or

situation – you are blinding yourself to potential

answers outside of your focus. Asking yourself,

“Should I really be doing this?” allows you to adjust

your focus and see outside of the overall goal or

objective of what you’re doing.

! Take a step back and ask: “Should I?”


95. Stop worrying.

Chances are you’re worrying about things that you

don’t need to worry about. Stop worrying about

deadlines or making things perfect or what

everyone is going to think.

! Close your eyes and take a deep breath in,

tell yourself to stop worrying. Then stop worrying.

! Hugh MacLeod, author of the book “Ignore

Everybody” and a cartoonist best known for his

quirky and creative illustrations, said it best when

he explained that feeling creatively stuck “is just a

symptom of feeling like you have nothing to say [or

do], combined with the rather weird idea that you

SHOULD feel the need to say [or do] something.”

! Worrying does nothing more than waste your

time and energy on thoughts and feelings that won’t

help you get unstuck anyway.

! Sit back, relax, and stop worrying about

whatever it is you are worrying about.


96. Balance your work.

Instead of focusing on one specific area of an idea,

try balancing your focus on multiple areas.

! For example: rather than focusing on writing

the introduction to a story, you could think of the

introduction while at the same time drawing art

ideas for the story.

! The wider your load of balance and focus on

a specific project or problem, the more areas you

have to look for inspiration.

! The very definition of balance – as described

in the New Oxford American Dictionary – explains

the benefits of balancing your creativity. The

dictionary describes balance as “stability of one’s

mind or feelings.”

! Find a balance between working on different

aspects of your problem or situation, by working on

one aspect and then another for the same amount of

time or with the same amount of effort.


97. Consider yourself an explorer.

Think of yourself as an explorer, exploring different

ideas and scenarios.

! Often when we’re searching for inspiration

you might act more like a detective, searching for a

solution, rather than an explorer. Think of yourself

as an explorer, going where no-one has gone before

and doing things that others have yet to do.

! Use your imagination to truly become an

explorer of your own creativity. What might your

explorer outfit look like? What areas of creativity

have you yet to explore, and what has prevented

you from exploring those areas in the past?

! Rather than searching for creativity as a

detective might – clue by clue – discover your

creativity and find new sources of inspiration by

becoming an explorer.

! Consider yourself an explorer, a discoverer of

yet-to-be-found creative insights.


98. Make a list of metaphors.

Quickly jot down a list of anything that you can

think of. Create a metaphor that connects each

random item on your list to your current situation

or problem.

! Ask yourself: how is this item on my list like

this problem I have?

! Metaphors work for inspiring creativity

because they allow you to take strange or unknown

ideas and make them familiar.

! For example: when Albert Einstein began

developing the theory of relativity he likened the

idea to that of “riding on a beam of light.” By

creating a metaphor for his theory, Einstein was able

to better explore the idea through familiar means.

(What would it be like to ride on a beam of light

anyway?)

! Create a list of metaphors for your idea or

situation, then explore the metaphors you create.


99. Gather things.!

Take ten minutes to gather as many physical things

related to your problem or situation as you can.

Collect all the items in one place and then

experiment with ideas involving each item.

! What if you combined items? What if you

took a piece from one item and added it to another

item? What if one item had never been created?

! Often time that should be used to work on

ideas or connecting thoughts is spent gathering

materials or inspiration. Dedicating a few minutes

to gather as many items as you can that relate to

your problem beforehand let’s you get everything

you could need, and then forces you to place your

attention on creating rather than gathering

seemingly necessary supplies.

! Gather as many inspirational or possibly

useful things as you can in ten minutes, then force

yourself to sit down and play with them.


100. Call on an audience.

Call some friends, family members, or coworkers

over to wherever you are and have them gather

around you while you try to work.

! Having an audience sounds like a strange

idea, and that is exactly why it works.

! An audience can influence your thinking and

activities immensely. Merely having an audience

near you while you work can affect your creative

output.

! William Shakespeare, the great playwright

and poet, believed that audiences could directly

influence his plays. Often Shakespeare would use

rhythmic patterns or place actors within the

audience to create a sense of involvement from the

audience themselves.

! Call on an audience and put on a show, the

worst that can happen is a bit of entertaining for

your friends and family.


101. Do something monotonous.

For fifteen minutes do something that you can do

without really thinking about it or the process of

doing it.

! While your subconscious is occupied with

the dull task your mind will be able to think freely.

! Edward de Bono, a truly creative author and

inventor, believes that the power of “creative pause”

– doing monotonous tasks while focusing on a

problem to be solved – is immensely useful for

getting unstuck; he even coined the term itself.

! Things like doing the dishes, taking a shower,

going for a drive, or anything else that can occupy

your subconcioius while leaving your concious

mind to focus on being creative, can help you get

unstuck easily.

! Take fifteen minutes to do something

monotonous, and let your mind freely wander.


102. Work on smaller pieces.

Break your goal or problem into smaller goals or

problems. Then break those smaller problems into

even smaller ones.

! Having to deal with smaller pieces of a

problem or situation makes it easier to deal with,

almost every time.

! Gina Trapani, editor of Lifehacker.com,

explained the benefits of working on smaller pieces

of a problem in the book “Getting Real” by 37signals.

Gina stated that “smaller tasks … are more

manageable, hide fewer possible requirement

misunderstandings, and cost less to change your

mind about..."

! Smaller pieces of a problem are much easier

to work on, and any problem can be broken down

into smaller chunks repeatedly.

! Work on your problem in smaller pieces, one

at a time.


103. Reminisce.

Take a few minutes to reminisce about an important

moment in your life.

! Can you relate the previous moment you

think of to your current problem or situation? Ask

yourself: “If I were in that situation again, with my

current problem, how would I solve it?”

! Endel Tulving, a Canadian neuroscientist and

former professor at the University of Toronto, has

studied the power of memories, specifically episodic

memory: the ability to recall past memories and to

envision future ones.

! According to Tulving, the ability to recall past

events is heavily correlated with the ability to

envision the future. If you can reminisce about the

past you can envision a future where your problem

or situation is resolved.

! Try it right now: reminisce about the past and

try to relate it to your ideal, soon-to-be future.


104. Go with your gut instincts.

What do you feel you should do right now? No

matter what your instinctual feelings are at the

moment, go with them.

! Instincts are often good, and for good reason.

In the book “The Power of Simplicity” Jack Trout and

Steve Rivkin discuss the affects of going with your

instincts. The authors explain: “People distrust their

instincts. They feel there must be a hidden, more

complex answer. Wrong. What’s obvious to you is

obvious to many. That’s why an obvious answer

usually works so well.”

! Your instincts can often lead you to effective

and creative solutions, if you let them. Learn to relax

and go with your “gut” when the feeling strikes. Be

sure that – if you do go with your instincts – that

you are following instincts and not desires, which

are two completely different things.

! Do the obvious: go with your instincts.


105. Ask yourself what you want

to learn.

Sit down and ask yourself: “What do I want to learn

from this situation?” Asking yourself this question

works best if you write down the question and then

list the answers beneath it on a piece of paper.

! Discovery is a creative learning method that

is – without a doubt – the most beneficial way to

find inspiration.

! By reevaluating your problem or situation

into a problem of discovery, you lower your risk of

failure to zero. By pursuing knowledge you can’t

lose with what you do next. No matter what

happens: you’ll learn something. And that’s good.

! Learning is all it takes to discover new

sources of inspiration. Ask yourself: “What do I

want to learn from this?”


106. Be fearless.

Whatever you do next: be fearless.

! Take a minute to sit back and relax. When the

minute is up, jump back into things, but this time:

be fearless. Don’t worry about whether the results of

your effort will be what you expected, and don’t

worry about what people will think.

! Fear restricts thinking to invisible – and often

imaginary – boundaries. It shouldn’t be surprising

that fears are often far worse than any actual

negative outcome could be. To face your fears, ask

yourself: “What’s the worst that could happen?”

The worst that could happen is very likely to be

worth risking in order to be creative or innovative.

! As Shakespeare once stated: “Fearless minds

climb soonest into crowns.”

! Take a few deep breaths, relax the best you

can, then become fearless.


107. Think of reasons why you

might be feeling stuck.

Think of several reasons why you might be feeling

stuck, then actively find ways around each reason.

! Evaluating possible reasons why you might

be stuck is a great first step to getting unstuck.

! A large part of being creative is being able to

look at a problem and find all the different reasons

why it may be a problem. Doctors have to use

creativity regularly to treat symptoms in their

patients. Without evaluating the possible reasons

why a patient might be ill, a doctor could never

fully help them. Likewise: without evaluating the

reasons you might be creatively stuck, you can’t find

a way to get unstuck.

! Take the time to evaluate why you might be

feeling stuck, then tackle each potential reason, one-

by-one, however you can.


108. Write down at least 50

possible ideas in 3 minutes.

Set a timer for 3 minutes, sit yourself down in front

of a computer or sheet of paper, and type or write 50

ideas down before the timer goes off.

! Write down ideas that are specifically about

your problem, if you can. If you can’t think of any

ideas related to your problem or situation, write

down anything that comes to mind that you feel is

creative or could lead to other creative ideas.

! Silly ideas, unrealistic ideas, ideas that

somebody else has already though-of, these are all

acceptable things to write down, as long as you

reach at least 50 ideas in three minutes.

! Forcing yourself come up with a list of ideas

will undoubtedly get your creativity flowing, and

with a list of at least 50 ideas you are sure to find

creative inspiration.


109. Go for a walk.

It doesn’t matter where you go or how far, get up

and go for a walk.

! As you walk, let your mind wander freely

with thoughts, rather than focusing your attention

on problems or projects.

! When your mind is relaxed by an easy walk

around the neighborhood or local park, you’ll easily

find inspiration in the best possible place to look for

it: the world around you.

! So whenever you’re feeling stuck or like you

could use a boost in creativity, keep in mind the

insightful words of the remarkable author Henry

David Thoreau when he said: “Me thinks that the

moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin

to flow.”

! Give yourself the creative boost you deserve:

go for a walk outside.


110. Use your personal strengths.

Focus on using your personal strengths to help you

become unstuck.

! It’s possible that you may be stuck simply

because you are focusing on your weaknesses,

rather than your strengths. Negative thoughts such

as, “I’m no good at this,” or “I can’t do it,” create

barriers in your thinking that realistically don’t need

to be there.

! Rather than thinking anything negative,

think of what some of your personal strengths are,

then try to use your strengths to seek out

inspiration. Instead of saying: “I can’t do this,” think

to yourself: “I’m struggling with this at the moment,

but I’m great at doing this other thing …” then try

to use what you’re good at to help you improve in

the areas you are currently struggling.

! Use your personal strengths to get unstuck.


111. Compare old methods with

modern methods.

Ask yourself what an old way to solve your

problem is, then compare it with a new and modern

problem solving technique.

! Use the internet, browse the library, or ask

someone you know for help in order to discover old

and new methods of getting unstuck.

! By comparing past methods of creative

thinking with modern techniques, you can see

where the techniques were improved and where

they remained unchanged. If you can see where a

technique has been most effective, you can use that

knowledge to fuel your own thinking.

! Think – or research – old creative methods for

your problem or situation, then compare them with

new, modern creative thinking techniques.


112. Change your point of view.

Changing your point of view is just that: change

your point of view or opinion.

! Changing your point of view – as described

here – isn’t a physical action, it’s simply changing

your mental perception of a problem.

! To change your point of view: disagree with

your initial view of your problem or situation, view

it from the perspective of someone who isn’t

involved with it, or try to find an alternative view

that is unlike your own.

! By viewing a situation from different points

of views or with different opinions of the elements

of your situation, you’re exposing yourself to

potential solutions or ideas that you might not have

been able to see before.

! Open yourself to new and potentially helpful

ideas by changing your point of view.!

!


113. Think of a solution that fails.

Rather than trying to find a solution that will

undoubtedly work, try thinking of a solution that is

sure to fail.

! You can peak your creative thinking by

observing ideas that don’t work and then looking at

their opposite.

! We (hopefully) learn from failures by looking

at our mistakes and then avoiding them in the

future. Skip the process of failing now by thinking

of solutions that are sure to fail, then try doing the

opposite.

! Ask yourself: “How does a solution that will

definitely fail affect my perception of possible

solutions that could work?”

! To get unstuck: think of a solid solution that

will fail, then think of it’s opposite and try using

that idea to progress.

!


114. Seek out a partner.

Find inspiration from one person that you can work

with as a partner on your problem or project.

! There is always someone who has had to deal

with the same problem you are facing, or someone

who isn’t feeling the same thinking constraints you

may be experiencing, seek them out and work with

them to get unstuck.

! To find a partner: ask around, use the

internet, or turn to friends. Find someone you can

work with as a team to come up with ideas.

! Thinking with a partner can make getting

unstuck much easier. Thomas Edison believed that

working with others was essential to innovation.

When asked about working with partners, Edison

stated simply: “If I could solve all the problems

myself, I would.”

! Seek out a partner to help you think.


115. Learn about another culture.

Research another culture and how they go about

what you are trying to do.

! Different cultures have very different beliefs

and problem solving strategies, which makes the

exploration of cross-cultural studies a great source

of creativity.

! Research studies have repeatedly shown that

learning about other cultures can increase creative

thinking dramatically. In their research study titled

“Multicultural Experience, Idea Receptiveness, and

Creativity,” esteemed educators Angela Ka-yee

Leung and Chi-yue Chiu report that “multicultural

experiences can provide a valuable cognitive

resource for creative thinking.”

! Learn about another culture and you could

be surprised at what you find. Use that to your

advantage and feel inspired.


! “Creativity is a lot like looking at

the world through a kaleidoscope. You look at a set of elements, the same ones everyone else sees, but then reassemble those floating bits and pieces into an

enticing new possibility.”– Rosabeth Moss Kanter


Think creative

Design

Transcript of Think creative