What obstacles prevent lateral thinking and how can you overcome them?

2 Fixed mindset

Another obstacle to lateral thinking is the fixed mindset, which is the belief that your abilities, talents, and intelligence are fixed and cannot be improved. If you have a fixed mindset, you may avoid taking risks, trying new things, or learning from feedback, because you fear failure, criticism, or rejection. You may also compare yourself to others and feel insecure or inadequate. To overcome this obstacle, you need to develop a growth mindset, which is the belief that your abilities, talents, and intelligence can be developed and enhanced through effort, practice, and learning. You can also embrace failure as an opportunity to learn, improve, and grow, and celebrate your progress and achievements.

3 Confirmation bias

A third obstacle to lateral thinking is the confirmation bias, which is the tendency to seek, interpret, and remember information that confirms your existing beliefs, opinions, or hypotheses, while ignoring or rejecting information that contradicts them. If you have confirmation bias, you may filter out or distort evidence that challenges your assumptions or perspectives, and focus on evidence that supports them. You may also avoid exposure to alternative or opposing views, and stick to your own echo chamber. To overcome this obstacle, you need to be aware of your own biases and preconceptions, and actively seek out and consider different sources, perspectives, and arguments. You can also use techniques such as devil's advocate, counterfactual thinking, and scenario planning to test your assumptions and explore other possibilities.

4 Functional fixedness

A fourth obstacle to lateral thinking is the functional fixedness, which is the tendency to perceive objects or concepts only in terms of their typical or conventional uses, functions, or attributes, while ignoring or overlooking their potential for other uses, functions, or attributes. If you have functional fixedness, you may miss opportunities to repurpose, combine, or transform existing resources, tools, or solutions in new and creative ways. You may also limit your imagination and creativity by adhering to the established definitions, categories, or boundaries of objects or concepts. To overcome this obstacle, you need to challenge yourself to think beyond the obvious or expected uses, functions, or attributes of objects or concepts, and experiment with different combinations, modifications, or applications. You can also use techniques such as SCAMPER, TRIZ, and morphological analysis to generate more novel and inventive ideas.

5 Emotional blocks

A fifth obstacle to lateral thinking is the emotional blocks, which are the negative emotions or feelings that affect your motivation, confidence, and mood, and interfere with your thinking process. You may experience emotional blocks such as stress, anxiety, frustration, anger, boredom, or fear, which can impair your concentration, memory, judgment, and creativity. You may also suppress or avoid your emotions, which can lead to emotional exhaustion, burnout, or detachment. To overcome this obstacle, you need to acknowledge and manage your emotions, and use them as sources of information, energy, and inspiration. You can also use techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, breathing, relaxation, and positive affirmations to cope with stress, calm your mind, and boost your mood.