Techniques to Boost Your Imagination
13 February 2009
Read by 2029 persons
Imagination isn't something you can just decide to have, but you can develop it. This requires three things: passion for your field, not self-censoring, and keeping an open mind.
1> BREAK FROM ROUTINE AND SPARK NEW WAYS OF THINKING
Sometimes, all it takes is a small disruption to your daily routine to generate ideas. "In the office, people are caught up in their routine, preoccupied with organizational issues, meetings, phone calls, numbers... A change of context frees the mind and sparks creativity," confirms Philippe Vahé, who organizes about twenty brainstorming workshops a year at Decathlon. "Creating means breaking free from mental habits. Creativity involves taking detours, activating areas that usually remain dormant," analyzes Stéphane Ely, director of the creativity consulting firm Elycorp.
2> PUT YOURSELF IN THE CUSTOMER'S (OR LISTENER'S) SHOES AND TEST YOUR OWN PRODUCTS
Showing empathy with consumers (or listeners), even if they don't resemble you, is key to creativity. To put yourself in your customer's shoes, on-the-ground observation is essential. Jean-François Rattel, product manager at Decathlon, recounts that "the two-second tent was born from a conversation with a user who, with a gesture, mimicked the tent of his dreams: it opened all by itself." Sometimes, it's by considering your own needs that you find the perfect idea. You'll be more likely to invent new plasterboards if you've installed some yourself in your kitchen.
3> DRAW INSPIRATION FROM SUCCESSFUL METHODS USED BY OTHERS
To create his first animated films, Walt Disney drew inspiration from the heritage of European fairy tales. This is how great classics like "Snow White," "Pinocchio," and "Cinderella" were born. Mickey's father understood that in case of creative block, nothing beats looking at what others are doing. Drawing inspiration from the most talented in your profession, in France or abroad, is good, but it's even more fruitful to seek inspiration in sectors very different from your own. The question to ask yourself: how can I use this technique that works elsewhere in my profession?
4> PERSEVERE; YOUR FIRST IDEA MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT ONE
Two-star chef Thierry Marx has lost count of his failures. "When you create, you make a lot of mistakes. Last year, out of the 1740 recipes I developed, I only kept 40." The search for ideas is the work of a gold prospector: you have to sift through many pebbles to find a few nuggets. The most inventive are those who don't settle for their first attempt. But it's also sometimes necessary to persevere by revisiting ideas that were discarded too quickly.
5> CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND LET YOUR IMAGINATION RUN WILD
Approaching a problem head-on often leads to a dead end: you need to find other angles. "The more unexpected the avenues, the more likely you are to find something," explains psychologist Todd Lubart. "For example, you can imagine yourself as a child... or even as a Martian!"
6> DON'T SELF-CENSOR AND DARE TO BE UNREASONABLE
Without needlessly provoking, sometimes it's enough to challenge conventional wisdom. It was by breaking the golden rules of airlines (pampering customers and landing them in a capital city) that Michael O'Leary laid the foundation for the success of his low-cost airline Ryanair: services are nonexistent and the "Parisian" airport is Beauvais, 70 km from the capital...
7> KEEP YOUR CURIOSITY ALIVE WITHOUT NEGLECTING THE DETAILS OF DAILY LIFE
"The world is teeming with new ideas: you just have to look around you," says Luc de Brabandère of BCG. "The missing piece of the puzzle may be right there, before your eyes." When Henry Ford invented the pickup truck around 1920, he simply imitated what American farmers had been doing naturally for 10 years: removing the back seat to free up space for their equipment. Sources of inspiration are everywhere.
8> TRANSFORM CONSTRAINTS INTO OPPORTUNITIES
When writer Georges Perec decides to banish the letter 'E' from his novel "La Disparition," he imposes an extremely strong constraint... but one that gives birth to one of his most astonishing books. But to achieve such results, you must consider constraints as opportunities, not as handicaps.
9> KNOW HOW TO RELIEVE PRESSURE WHEN YOU GET STUCK ON A PROBLEM
There's no point getting upset in front of a blank page: taking a break will be more fruitful. Because stress hinders creativity by paralyzing the brain. To think well, you must first relax. Dr. Servant, director of the stress and anxiety unit at the Lille University Hospital, recommends "mental imagery." It helps you escape by recalling a happy memory or visualizing your dream destination. "These snapshots help increase well-being and performance by boosting imagination," he assures.
10> FUEL YOUR BRAIN WITH A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Creativity is not only nourished by concepts but also by real food. They are essential for concentration and memorization, two key faculties in the creative process. There's no need to overindulge in sweets or liters of coffee before a brainstorming session. It's better to eat toast in the morning to fill up on slow-release sugars. The same goes for dinner, with a hearty meal or prunes before bed. "The brain works more at night than during the day: it organizes, classifies, and processes information that will allow it to be more available the next day."
In short, eating well doesn't make you brilliant, but it will oil the wheels...
Posted on February 13, 2009
live.com
1> BREAK FROM ROUTINE AND SPARK NEW WAYS OF THINKING
Sometimes, all it takes is a small disruption to your daily routine to generate ideas. "In the office, people are caught up in their routine, preoccupied with organizational issues, meetings, phone calls, numbers... A change of context frees the mind and sparks creativity," confirms Philippe Vahé, who organizes about twenty brainstorming workshops a year at Decathlon. "Creating means breaking free from mental habits. Creativity involves taking detours, activating areas that usually remain dormant," analyzes Stéphane Ely, director of the creativity consulting firm Elycorp.
2> PUT YOURSELF IN THE CUSTOMER'S (OR LISTENER'S) SHOES AND TEST YOUR OWN PRODUCTS
Showing empathy with consumers (or listeners), even if they don't resemble you, is key to creativity. To put yourself in your customer's shoes, on-the-ground observation is essential. Jean-François Rattel, product manager at Decathlon, recounts that "the two-second tent was born from a conversation with a user who, with a gesture, mimicked the tent of his dreams: it opened all by itself." Sometimes, it's by considering your own needs that you find the perfect idea. You'll be more likely to invent new plasterboards if you've installed some yourself in your kitchen.
3> DRAW INSPIRATION FROM SUCCESSFUL METHODS USED BY OTHERS
To create his first animated films, Walt Disney drew inspiration from the heritage of European fairy tales. This is how great classics like "Snow White," "Pinocchio," and "Cinderella" were born. Mickey's father understood that in case of creative block, nothing beats looking at what others are doing. Drawing inspiration from the most talented in your profession, in France or abroad, is good, but it's even more fruitful to seek inspiration in sectors very different from your own. The question to ask yourself: how can I use this technique that works elsewhere in my profession?
4> PERSEVERE; YOUR FIRST IDEA MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT ONE
Two-star chef Thierry Marx has lost count of his failures. "When you create, you make a lot of mistakes. Last year, out of the 1740 recipes I developed, I only kept 40." The search for ideas is the work of a gold prospector: you have to sift through many pebbles to find a few nuggets. The most inventive are those who don't settle for their first attempt. But it's also sometimes necessary to persevere by revisiting ideas that were discarded too quickly.
5> CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND LET YOUR IMAGINATION RUN WILD
Approaching a problem head-on often leads to a dead end: you need to find other angles. "The more unexpected the avenues, the more likely you are to find something," explains psychologist Todd Lubart. "For example, you can imagine yourself as a child... or even as a Martian!"
6> DON'T SELF-CENSOR AND DARE TO BE UNREASONABLE
Without needlessly provoking, sometimes it's enough to challenge conventional wisdom. It was by breaking the golden rules of airlines (pampering customers and landing them in a capital city) that Michael O'Leary laid the foundation for the success of his low-cost airline Ryanair: services are nonexistent and the "Parisian" airport is Beauvais, 70 km from the capital...
7> KEEP YOUR CURIOSITY ALIVE WITHOUT NEGLECTING THE DETAILS OF DAILY LIFE
"The world is teeming with new ideas: you just have to look around you," says Luc de Brabandère of BCG. "The missing piece of the puzzle may be right there, before your eyes." When Henry Ford invented the pickup truck around 1920, he simply imitated what American farmers had been doing naturally for 10 years: removing the back seat to free up space for their equipment. Sources of inspiration are everywhere.
8> TRANSFORM CONSTRAINTS INTO OPPORTUNITIES
When writer Georges Perec decides to banish the letter 'E' from his novel "La Disparition," he imposes an extremely strong constraint... but one that gives birth to one of his most astonishing books. But to achieve such results, you must consider constraints as opportunities, not as handicaps.
9> KNOW HOW TO RELIEVE PRESSURE WHEN YOU GET STUCK ON A PROBLEM
There's no point getting upset in front of a blank page: taking a break will be more fruitful. Because stress hinders creativity by paralyzing the brain. To think well, you must first relax. Dr. Servant, director of the stress and anxiety unit at the Lille University Hospital, recommends "mental imagery." It helps you escape by recalling a happy memory or visualizing your dream destination. "These snapshots help increase well-being and performance by boosting imagination," he assures.
10> FUEL YOUR BRAIN WITH A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Creativity is not only nourished by concepts but also by real food. They are essential for concentration and memorization, two key faculties in the creative process. There's no need to overindulge in sweets or liters of coffee before a brainstorming session. It's better to eat toast in the morning to fill up on slow-release sugars. The same goes for dinner, with a hearty meal or prunes before bed. "The brain works more at night than during the day: it organizes, classifies, and processes information that will allow it to be more available the next day."
In short, eating well doesn't make you brilliant, but it will oil the wheels...
Posted on February 13, 2009
live.com
