Automatically seeing a problem as “negative” can prevent you from getting the facts both positive and negative to an issue. As creative consultant Man Min Basadur says, our negative perceptions cause us to avoid problems rather than to seek them out.
“We will seek only the facts that support our preconceived negative view, leading to inadequate and off-target problem defining,” Basadur says.
How do you turn negatives into opportunities for improvement?
By remaining neutral, looking at “problems” from a curious perspective and flipping them around we can find hidden opportunities. We just need to keep our minds open and be non-judgemental.
Here’s a quick exercise that can help you to view “problems” differently. The question: What different words might you use to describe problems? In three minutes write down as many synonyms for “problem” as you can.
Finished?
Do you want to quickly develop ideas to solve personal challenges, in your own business, at work, in sales, marketing and even new product development?
How difficult is it?
I’m glad you asked.
In “Breakthrough Ideas” I show you many simple and practical ways to come up with new ideas. It’s based on real-world experience, research into creativity, proven methods and ideas that have succeeded. By the end of the first chapter, which will only take a few minutes to read, you will produce new ideas that could spark your personal breakthrough.
Here are a few “golden rules” that may help you in your search for new ideas:
– Use simple techniques that are proven and which you enjoy
– Personal breakthroughs come when you are prepared – practice, practice, practice
– See your world through fresh eyes
– You become more creative by using creative tools more often
– Linking unrelated objects often leads to unexpected new combinations
– Allowing ideas to “cool” before evaluation lets you select the most promising one
– Finding and developing ideas follows a definite process and framework that is easy to understand and apply
Do you want to learn to speed up your idea generation? To get your brain perculating, I’m going to strongly recommend that you check out “Breakthrough Ideas”. Just invest a few hours in yourself and you’ll find solutions faster and come up with more viable ideas.
