015 Think simple. Be brilliant!

"I wanted to do something big and wild and different..." [Alexander Ekman]

So what did he do? Alexander Ekman. The Swedish ballet dancer and choreographer. When he took on the challenge that is Swan Lake?

What did he do that was big and wild and different?

What would you do and we'll reveal all in a sec...

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A quick history lesson!

Swan Lake was written in 1875. By Tchaikovsky. And is a story about Odette, a princess who is turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. It has been performed to audiences around the world and even if you're not a lover of classical music or ballet, you will know the theme from Swan Lake! It is iconic!

But what of Ekman.

How do you take something so iconic, so familiar and so well-loved, and improve it? How do you make it big and wild and different?

You simply add water!

Which nobody has done before.

Ever!

Ekman filled the stage with 5,000 litres of water. For the dancers of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet to perform in... on... together with several musicians, actors, a soprano and a thousand rubber ducks!

But that's obvious...

To use water...

For a production of Swan Lake?!

It is...

So why has nobody done it before? Ever. In over 150 years?

Because when something seems obvious, we skip past it. We ignore it. Dismiss it. For that very reason. It seems obvious. Eckman reminds of the power simplicity brings. And how thinking simply* can take anything and transform it to be big and wild and different.

Here's a taster of what Eckman did...

*Footnote:

Want to know the science behind this?

In his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman explains that we have two systems that drive the way we think. System one is fast, intuitive and emotional; System two is slower, more deliberative and more logical. He says there are very few circumstances where System one is our best guide. As a rule, we should slow down our decision making whenever possible. Why? Because we overlook things...

Like using water in a production of Swan Lake. Perhaps?

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015 YOUR TAKEAWAY

Here are three thoughts for you to take away this week.

1. Sloooooowwwww down. Speedy thinking is a foe, not a friend!
2. Think slowly and think deeply. Your decisions will be much the better for it.
3. Simple is not easy. Simple ideas can often be the biggest, wildest, most differentest of ideas... honestly!

Different Gravy

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