By the time the average person finishes college, he or she will have taken over 2,600 tests, quizzes, and exams. The right answer approach becomes deeply ingrained in our thinking. This may be fine for some mathematical problems where there is in fact only one right answer. The difficulty is that most of life isn’t this way. Life is ambiguous; there are many right answers- all depending on what you’re looking for. But if you think there is only one right answer, then you’ll stop looking as soon as you find one.
Roger von OechOpen your mind up to things that have no connection with the problem you're trying to solve: subscribe to an unusual magazine; spend a morning at an elementary school; go to work two hours early; test drive an exotic car; attend a city council meeting; ...try an Indonesian recipe.
Roger von OechAm I Getting Lazy? Am I Too Busy? Am I Becoming Arrogant? Am I Getting Timid? If you answer 'yes' to any one of these questions, that's your warning to Kick that attitude!
Roger von OechIt's difficult to get your creative juices flowing if you're always being practical, following rules, afraid to make mistakes, not looking into outside areas, or under the influence of any of the other mental locks.
Roger von OechIf you make an error, use it as a stepping stone to a new idea you might not have otherwise discovered.
Roger von OechEveryone has a 'risk muscle.' You keep it in shape by trying new things. If you don't, it atrophies. Make a point of using it at least once a day.
Roger von OechKnowledge is the stuff from which new ideas are made. Thus, the real key to being creative lies in what you do with your knowledge.
Roger von OechWe grow up thinking that the best answer is in someone else's brain. Much of our education is an elaborate game of 'guess what's in the teacher's head?' What the world really needs to know right now is what kind of dreams and ideas are in your head.
Roger von OechTake advantage of the ambiguity in the world. Look at something and think what else it might be.
Roger von OechRemember the two benefits of failure. First, if you do fail, you learn what doesn't work; and second, the failure gives you the opportunity to try a new approach.
Roger von OechMost people think of success and failure as opposites, but they both are products of the same process.
Roger von OechIf you fall in love with an idea, you won't see the merits of alternative approaches-and will probably miss an opportunity or two. One of life's great pleasures is letting go of a previously cherished idea. Then you're free to look for new ones. What part of your idea are you in love with? What would happen if you kissed it goodbye?
Roger von OechIt's easy to come up with new ideas; the hard part is letting go of what worked for you two years ago, but will soon be out-of-date.
Roger von Oech