Switch to another pattern

Want to switch on your creative thinking?

Here’s how.

We tend to think, feel and act in patterns.

These patterns self-organise as a result of our past behaviours, experiences, beliefs and expectations.

This is efficient but not very creative.

So we need to move to another pattern if we want to be more creative (this is Edward De Bono’s insight which he called Lateral Thinking).

I call it Switching.

You switch from one pattern to another one (see the diagram above).

So when you are stuck:

– Switch to working on another problem (i.e. work on one problem then switch to another and then return to the original one, yo will often make new connections).

– Switch your environment (i.e. work in a cafe for example or visit a retail outlet).

– Switch your energy (i.e. go for a walk then return to the initial challenge)

– Switch your people (i.e. bounce your ideas off someone new).

– Switch the pace of your thinking (i.e. I call this Speed Thinking)

There is no end of ways to switching from your current pattern to a new one.

By doing so you can switch on your creativity – on demand.

The idea of switching to another pattern can also be applied to groups and teams.

In a future post I will outline how to do this.

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