“Every creative journey begins with a problem.”
Jonah Lehrer, Imagine: How Creativity Works
When you are faced with a problem, a seemingly insurmountable hurdle, this is the perfect time to tap into your creative mind and think outside the box. It’s ideal ground for new ideas, new ways of doing things, considering options that had been previously discarded, and trying something different. There is no better time for creative thinking than in the midst of a big challenge.
Unfortunately, it is at that moment that we most often go into the fetal position, get mad and frustrated, assign blame, and go into a death spiral.
How to do you keep from hitting the panic button in the midst of trouble, instead thinking creativity and with enthusiasm?
At least part of the solution is knowing that you tend to panic, and that panicking never helps. Once you spot yourself going into panic mode, try to relax and think of what else could be done. It often helps to talk with others who are not so close to the problem. People you trust who are optimism problem solvers.
What would you recommend as a method of thinking creatively in the midst of trouble and challenge?
David Curry
