Have you ever had “thinker’s block”?
It’s a problem similar to writer’s block, but instead of words, you’re stumped for ideas.
In this scoop of Sand for Your Inbox, I offer you a technique to get your ideas flowing.
In his book Out of the Box: 101 Ideas for Thinking Creatively, author Rob Eastaway outlines five types of creative thinkers: Child-Like, Problem-Solver, Dreamer, Builder, and Imagineer. He recommends adopting their characteristics and key words to have a more creative attitude.
In looking at this list further I realized… When a specific problem is obstructing your thoughts you can also use these characteristics and key words – like super-strength brain cleaner – to get your ideas flowing again!
Here’s the list from Rob’s book:
| Type | Characteristics | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Has the curiosity and confidence to explore ideas. | ||
| Regards every setback or block as a problem to be solved. | ||
| Aspires to what might be, rather than what is. | ||
| Supports other people’s ideas and knows how to build on them. | ||
| Is ready to think the unthinkable and explore the unknown. |
Next time you’re stuck on a problem, get thoughts flowing again with…
- Why not?
- How to…
- I wish…
- Yes, and…
- What if?
Let me know what you think. Do these ideas work for you?
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It also helps to do something different from the same old routine in your day-to-day life. Try a different restaurant, route to work, take up a new hobby.
Listening to new music or any music at all for that matter has always helped me to get my creative jucies flowing. I’m not typically the creative type and asking myself questions usually gets me distracted more than anything else.
I like your archetypes. What do you see as the chief difference between a dreamer and an imagineer?
Great post! It also helps to read alot. Reading from a wide variety of topics and genres always gives me new perspective and new ways to re-frame my current thinking.
Good ideas here, Paul. Everyone has a different way of stimulating creative ideas. Sometimes, inspiration comes to me in my dreams. Then, the challenge is to remember them when I wake up!
I don’t know if I’ve shared this with you before, but I have a “diver’s slate” in my shower… the thing that SCUBA divers use when underwater to take notes…
It is how I capture thoughts that come to me when I’m lather, rinse, and repeating.
Awesome post… writers/thinkers block is all too common and getting out of it can be easy as long as we get ideas like this to get us out of it!