Contents
We are glad to welcome you, dear readers of the blog! Steve Jobs also said that thinking outside the box or creativity is just the ability to find connections between ordinary things. It is because of this that creative people sometimes cannot accept the fact that they are considered geniuses, sometimes feeling guilty, because, in their opinion, they only noticed the obvious and already existing, they just found a more unusual use for it. And today we will look at ways in which everyone can develop extraordinary thinking.
Top 10 ways
1. Stereotypes
Do you know what extraordinary personalities are completely deprived of? Templates and stereotypes. Experience is a wonderful thing, you can rely on it in difficult and not very life situations, but if a person does not go beyond its boundaries, then a stereotype is formed, some kind of specific mechanism that helps to make decisions.
And, on the one hand, it relieves anxiety and tension, because if I act in the same way, I already know what the consequences and results will be, which is why I feel calm. And on the other hand, it limits, because I don’t explore, that is, I don’t ask myself the question of what will happen if I do otherwise, what will happen if I change the course of actions a little?
This ossified method may no longer work, it will cease to be relevant, and I will continue to use it, not getting satisfaction and the expected result, not finding the strength to say goodbye to it. So, the first thing you need to do is to transform your worldview into an unconventional one, free from stereotypes and boundaries. That is, look at familiar things from an unusual angle.
For example, how can a pen be used besides writing? Sketch options, even if they are completely illogical, because this is how, say, audio books or self-service stores appeared. It’s just that someone once wondered, what else can be done with a book? How can you find out what is in it without reading it?
2. Crazy architect
An intriguing title, isn’t it? The task is no less interesting, and consists in the fact that you will try yourself as an architect, that is, you will design a house and a personal plot. To do this, write down the first 10 words that came to your mind. Let’s say pineapple, pillow, toad, etc. Then, using your associative array, start creating.
By the way, the level of your artistic abilities does not matter at all, as well as the logic, the reality of ideas. Using the words I suggested, let’s make the walls of the building yellow, like a ripe pineapple, and inside, instead of wallpaper, there will be pillows around the entire perimeter, with frogs embroidered on them. Thus, if you have children, you can have fun together, and for the benefit of each participant.
3. Changeling
Try to say a word backwards. Not easy, right? Especially if it’s long. But there is a little trick, start by reading signs and store names, then your brain will rewire, and you will learn how to turn words around on your own.
I think it’s not worth reminding you that daily practice is necessary, even if you start to succeed, fix the newly acquired skill so that it turns into a skill. If someone close to you practices with you, then over time you will be able to calmly talk on the street or in transport without worrying that you will be overheard. Or rather, they will hear you, but they will hardly understand.
4. Spec. signals
Have you seen pictures where special agents on a mission during some kind of battle exchange information using gestures? So, agree with family members or close friends that for an hour you will only communicate with gestures, you can also use facial expressions, most importantly, refrain from uttering a single word. The loser, for example, will pay for lunch at a restaurant or prepare a surprise. This is for motivation, if just winning and understanding that you are developing is not enough.
Only all this should happen in the process of some kind of joint activity, otherwise there may not be a reason to say something to each other. You can cook dinner together, some new and unfamiliar dish for the participants, or assemble a designer, find a lost thing, discussing where someone looked and sketching options for its location.
5. Back to front
Want an unusual way to read a book? Start studying it from the end. After all, how to develop creativity if you think in the usual way, using everyday objects? And I will answer — no way.
Therefore, we gain patience, choose a completely unfamiliar story (start with small volumes, otherwise, having taken out, for example, «War and Peace», you can forever want to be an extraordinary person), and read, starting from the very last page. Your brain will be very actively involved in the work, because the disturbed sequence of events will not allow you to get bored, daydreaming about something distant.
6. «Doodles»
Has it happened that, during a long conversation on the phone, you began to draw all sorts of monograms and lines on the first leaf that came across, carefully sketching and painting them?
So, the task is as follows, prepare a template, for example, draw small crosses or zeroes at the same distance from each other in several rows, then, dream up, and add handles and other attributes to them, turning them into some kind of figures, based on the symbol shown. You can print the text with Chinese characters to make it more difficult. This, by the way, is also quite relaxing, helping to cope with stress and feel calm.
7. Associations
Well, where without them? It is impossible to get extraordinary thinking without allowing the flow of thoughts to flow freely and naturally, without boundaries and inclusion of logic. Look around right now, what do you see? Choose just one item. Now you should take a sheet and draw two columns. In the first, you will write out adjectives that describe your association, and in the second, properties that cannot be applied to the selected object at all.
The first bottle of mineral water caught my eye. Bottle glass, plastic, small, etc. Or fluffy, liquid. Try to write at least 20 points in each column so that the brain is properly involved in the work.
8. Complicated not childish
As for not being stereotyped, every healthy person on the planet can wear a sweater, right? Parents or other adults have taught this process since childhood, which seems so simple. What if you close your eyes? Or use only one hand while balancing on one leg?
Try drawing with a pencil in your toes, or brushing your teeth hands-free. The tasks are not easy, but quite feasible, especially if you try again and again. Perhaps then we will be more tolerant of children when they fumble for a long time or do not cope with what seems to be a completely simple matter?
9. Similarities
Again, it’s time to come up with associations. Well, what can you do if development is faster and more efficient thanks to them? So, as usual, we take a piece of paper and write down the first 5 nouns that come to mind. Then we write out the general signs of the entire associative series.
It is not necessary to lay out in one word, and even an adjective, you can think that you can do the same action with the help of each of them. Maybe it was thanks to this exercise that the tradition of drinking from the bride’s shoe at the wedding began? Who knows, maybe you will be able to invent something that will glorify you and bring success?
10. I am a millionaire
The most enjoyable task for those who dream of success is imagine that you won or inherited a million dollars with one condition — you must spend it to the last dollar. Describe in detail where and for what exactly. Only bad luck, you need to spend not in vain, but investing in something that will bring profit.
Great exercise for businessmen and entrepreneurs. Try not to come up with banal ways to make it easy, like buying a house for a million and renting it to the stars for parties or selling a little later for a higher price.
Recommendation
There is a very interesting site. Wiki. There are exercises for the development of memory and logical thinking. Lots of interesting puzzles in the thinking section. Look, I often practice in the classes on this site. Like and rested, playing. At the same time, it’s good for the brain.
Conclusion
And that’s all for today, dear readers! If you are interested in finding out how extraordinary your thinking is, I recommend taking the online test “Test to determine the level of creative abilities”. Good luck and accomplishments!