“Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” Albert Von Szent-Gyorgyi Nagyrapolt
This is a profound statement with profound implications. Seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought! Think of the impact you could have in the world if you were to able to see the same problems that confront all of us but you were able to think about them differently and propose unique and innovative solutions.
Does this seem too far fetched for you….too much of a stretch? I don’t think so! I think each of us has an opportunity to think creatively and uniquely about problems we face each day.
We all approach life’s challenges based on our unique perception of the world. To think creatively, just step away from the status quo, leverage your unique perspective and start asking questions about the challenges at hand. Follow these steps and see where it leads you:
1) Ask questions based on your perspective
2) Ask questions from putting yourself in someone elses shoes
3) Ask questions from a 50,000 foot view
4) Take some “soak” time for the question to resonate in your mind
5) Consider two polar opposite viewpoints and take the best ideas from each viewpoint to form an even better overall solution. “The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas but is superior to each.” Roger Martin
These sorts of questions will lead you to “thinking what nobody else has thought.” This will help you to draw insights from every situation. When you do this, you will begin to form creative and innovative solutions to the challenges you face.
Here are three past blog posts and a few more articles and sources help you get into the mindset of asking questions;
1) What Kind of Questions is Your Organization Asking?
2) Are You A Beginner or an Expert?
5) 100 Questions Business Leaders Should Ask
6) Find Your Passion With These 8 Thought Provoking Questions
7) How To Cultivate the Art of Asking Good Questions
8) 5 Questions You Should Ask Your Team Today
“To go against the dominant thinking of your friends, of most of the people you see every day, is perhaps the most difficult act of heroism you can perform.” ~Theodore H. White
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.