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Why Others Don’t Want You to Think

April 24, 2013 — Leave a comment

People don’t like to think, if one thinks, one must reach conclusions.
Conclusions are not always pleasant. | Helen Keller

In case you haven’t noticed, thinking is often discouraged. There are businesses built on the assumption that people don’t think. Having recently purchased a home, I encountered this fact first hand. The home builder offered “incentives” to buyers who used the mortgage company they own. Because I’m not a mortgage professional, I did what the home builder hoped I wouldn’t do… I asked a friend in the mortgage business for help. He pointed out that the “incentives” were offset by unnecessary fees. Therefore, the great deal the builder offered wasn’t a great deal for me. The same thing happens when the over-aggressive cashier tries to convince me to take advantage of the retailer’s credit card or I’m offered the opportunity to super-size my meal. The list goes on and on. Why don’t others want you to think?

Because it proves it can be done. People don’t want to do the work thinking requires. They are quick to discourage anyone who raises the bar.
Because it puts you in a position of power. Non-thinking people are dependent upon a system that is designed to keep them subservient. Thinking turns the tables on the so-called powerful and renders their rationale worthless.
Because thinking people don’t fall for manipulative marketing. Advertising is designed to exploit the weaknesses of consumers. We are told what we need and how a certain car will improve our social status. Thinking helps us defend ourselves against unwise choices.

Stay on your toes and look for opportunities to use thinking to fend off manipulative tactics. The more you think, the more you’ll realize just how valuable this skill can be. Think about it.

In what areas of your life do you need to improve your thinking skills?

Terry Hadaway’s Creative Thinking Network will be launching this summer. Join Terry and other creative thinkers in a weekly live dialogue that will help you unlock your creative genius and separate you from the norm. Click here to learn more and to save your spot in the first cohort.

In Thinking marketing, problem solving, thinking

How To Be Creative

April 23, 2013 — Leave a comment

Some everyday tools for discovering your creativity

Creative thinking inspires ideas. Ideas inspire change. | Barbara Januszkiewicz

No one is bothered by change. What bothers them is being changed. Yet, when it comes to life, unless we are changed, there will be no organizational or societal change. My inquisitive nature has made me money and cost me jobs. I’ve asked questions that have moved people and organizations in positive directions and I’ve also asked questions that others didn’t really want me to ask.

Creative thinking isn’t easy. It can be a problem because we have a tough time escaping our preconceived notions. No one ever said thinking is easy. However, if we really want to achieve our potential, we must become creative thinkers because, like the quote above says, creative thinking leads to change. OK, so how do people who had the creativity taught out of them in school suddenly turn into creative thinking juggernauts? Here’s how.

Accept the fact that you are creative. Creative people believe they are creative; non-creative people make excuses.
Do the work of creative thinking. Every creative person works passionately to develop new ideas. Most of those ideas are bad. That’s OK because success is just around the corner.
Creativity produces creativity. There is a neurological explanation for this process, but the simple truth is that your brain’s creativity is enhanced by you being creative. Do something creative everyday and you will begin thinking more creatively.
Stop disqualifying your ideas. Nothing shuts down the creative process faster than discarding ideas too quickly. Generate lots of ideas and then choose which one to employ.
Link ideas together. Sometimes your great idea is a stepping stone to an even greater idea. Keep looking for ways to improve your thoughts.
Don’t seek expert advice. The more expertise people have, the more determined they are to prove that nothing they didn’t think of fits into their frames of reference. Experts aren’t quick to accept new ideas so don’t seek their approval.
Redefine failure. When something doesn’t work, you haven’t failed; you’ve simply learned what not to do.
Be a genius. A genius is someone who discovers a perspective no one else has taken. Use different tools to describe a problem. Write it, draw it, model it, paint it, reenact it. Do something to force your brain out of its normal thinking patterns.
Become an inclusive thinker. Creative geniuses look for ways to include things that are dissimilar and totally unrelated in their analysis.

Creativity is paradoxical. To create, a person must have knowledge but forget the knowledge, must see unexpected connections in things but not have a mental disorder, must work hard but spend time doing nothing as information incubates, must create many ideas yet most of them are useless, must look at the same thing as everyone else, yet see something different, must desire success but embrace failure, must be persistent but not stubborn, and must listen to experts but know how to disregard them. – Michael Michalko

You are creative and you have the ability to develop revolutionary solutions to persistent problems. Not everyone will celebrate your creativity. And, if you join that crowd, you’ll have no creativity to celebrate. Think about it.

What persistent problem can you attack with creative thinking?

Could you use some help becoming a more creative thinker?

In help for writers, motivation, Thinking creative thinking, leadership, problem solving

The Perception Test

April 19, 2013 — Leave a comment

How many 8s do you see?

The trick to thinking differently is found in paying attention to what is visible as well as what’s missing. On the surface, most people see two 8s. However, there’s another one lurking in the background. Can you see it now?

Pay attention to the negative space and the third 8 will begin to appear. Once you see it, you’ll always see it. That’s the way creative thinking is. It takes you outside your thinking patterns and opens your eyes to new possibilities.

You don’t have to stick with old ways of thinking. With a little help, you can unlock your hidden genius. Whether it’s your church, organization, or business, some creative thinking might be the thing you need to break through to new possibilities. You can learn more about my consulting and coaching services by contacting me.

When it comes to real life, rather than rearranging what you see, why not cultivate what you don’t yet see? Think about it.

What are the challenges that are facing you, your church, organization, or business? Could some creative thinking help formulate a new plan?

In how to get out of a rut, motivation, Thinking creative thinking, dreaming, problem solving

How to Think Like a Genius

April 17, 2013 — 1 Comment

Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius. | Fulton J. Sheen

The dictionary defines genius as an exceptional, natural capacity of intellect, especially shown in creative or original work. There are several terms identified as opposites of genius–idiot, imbecile, half-wit, dope, moron; fool, simpleton, dunce, and nitwit. As you read the list of antonyms, you probably see faces of people you’ve met or worked for.

So, how do normal people like you and me exhibit qualities more consistent with genius than simpleton? It’s all in how we think. Research proves that we think in patterns. If I give you a blank sheet of paper and tell you to draw a picture of an alien, there are certain characteristics almost every drawing will include–one or more eyes, appendages, heads, etc. Why do we think aliens have human-like appearances? It’s not because we’ve seen aliens. It’s because our minds are wired to think in patterns or categories. When given something new to consider, our minds naturally attempt to align it with an existing pattern. This explains why many “creative” solutions to problems are really minor tweaks to existing processes.

There is a genius locked behind our traditional ways of thinking. E.F. Shumacher said:

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex… It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.

Before you make the move in the opposite direction, go back to the top and read what Fulton Sheen said. When you choose to pursue different ways of thinking, those who don’t want to think will demonstrate their jealousy in a variety of ways. They’ll ignore, ridicule, criticize, challenge, and doubt you. They will defend thinking strategies that have never worked. They will tweak tired philosophies and, if you have a simpleton for a boss, you might even be fired. That’s OK. I’d rather be fired by a simpleton than become one.

So here are some quick tips for thinking like a genius.

Recognize your thinking patterns and deliberately set them aside.
Ask, “If I could go back and start this _________ over, would I create what I currently have?” If not, start thinking differently.
Work backwards from a desired outcome looking for ways to link your dream to present reality.
Stop seeking advice or approval from simpletons.
Accept the fact that every genius idea is the result of several failed attempts.

Albert Einstein said “The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” You can choose today to pursue genius or you can be like everyone else. Think about your mental habits. Are you becoming a genius or a nitwit? Think about it.

What thinking patterns do you need to set aside? What might happen in your life when you think like a genius?

In help for writers, how to get out of a rut, motivation, Thinking Einstein, genius, problem solving, thinking

How to Solve Any Problem

April 10, 2013 — Leave a comment

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Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than in trying to solve them. | Henry Ford

Is there a simple strategy for solving almost any problem? Absolutely! Most people, however, never get to the point of solving problems. They choose to ignore, avoid, or run away from their problems. Yet most problems are the compound result of previous problems that were avoided. Problems have a cumulative effect. If you don’t deal with little problems now, you will be forced to encounter larger problems later. Contrary to popular belief, problems don’t go away by themselves.

So, how can you solve any problem? It’s not as hard as you might imagine. You must develop some very basic critical thinking skills. What’s a critical thinker? Sherry Diestler defines a critical thinker as someone who uses specific criteria to evaluate reasoning, form positions, and make decisions. Critical thinkers don’t drift through life believing everything they hear. They think through decisions and take responsibility for the outcome.

Here are four steps to solving any problem:

Identify your criteria or personal values. Are you committed to avoiding debt, protecting your family, honoring God, etc.? When you know your personal values, you are ready for step 2.
Evaluate the reasoning–yours and others. Ask why until you get to the real issue. Are you making up reasons or accepting irrational reasons from someone else? Is your reasoning a cover for your resistance to deal with a related issue? Are you accepting the reasoning of others without validating its accuracy?
Form a position. Be honest and fearless when stating your position on the issue. If you don’t know where you stand, you can’t figure out the next step.
Make a decision. If you’ve done the preliminary work, you can make a decision and move forward with confidence. If you start moving forward and still doubt your decision, go back and revisit the previous steps.

People who run from problems usually run toward bigger problems. The best way to thrive in life is to handle problems when they arise. You can either make your decisions or someone else will decide for you. Just don’t act surprised when the solutions to their problems look a lot like problems in your life. Think about it.

Are you dealing with your problems or running from them?

In motivation, Thinking critical thinking, decision making, decisions, problem solving

Three tricks to get your brain in gear

March 4, 2013 — Leave a comment

The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking. | Albert Einstein

Have you ever set out to solve a problem or come up with something new only to have your brain refuse to cooperate? You’re not alone. Getting our brains in gear is one of the biggest obstacles to creative thinking. When I was a university professor, I taught Creative Thinking and Problem Solving. I was amazed at how difficult it was for students of all ages to process new ideas. For many people, their claim of being innovative thinkers is simply foolish self-talk. Their lives contradict their proclamations.

If you find yourself struggling to think, here are three things you can do to get your brain in gear.

Ask: If I could go back and start all over again, would I build what I have right now? This is a great organizational question that many leaders should address. It also works for our individual lives. Much of what we do and who we are is a byproduct of our failure to think. Thinking will take us in a different direction almost every time.
Ask: If I painted today a color, what color would it be? It sounds strange, but the psychology of color is more important than we think. Marketers spend millions of dollars each year analyzing the ways people respond to color. It influences their product and logo designs. So, if color can influence our decisions, it must be connected to our thought processes.
Flip your day. Classroom flipping is a growing trend in education. Basically, flipping is when the content delivery is accomplished away from class and the “homework” or discussion takes place in class. This worries lecturers and excites interactive teachers. Well, rather than flipping the classroom, flip your day. Rearrange the activities and allow the break in routine to inspire your thinking. Routine and habits are natural enemies of creative thinking.

How you’ve thought in the past brought you to where you are. If you want different results, change your thinking. If you don’t change your thinking, your future and today look a lot alike. Think about it!

If you painted today a color, what color would it be and why?

In motivation brain in gear, creative thinking, problem solving