The "Almost Perfect" Creativity Strategy

For much of our lives we are predisposed to look for a single solution to a single problem (e.g. What is 2 + 2?).?We have been “brainwashed” to think that for every problem there is one, and only one, way to solve that problem.?Much of our educational experiences have been focused on learning the right answer or discovering the right answer. Seldom have we been offered the opportunity to consider that there might be a multitude of potential responses to any problem. The “one-problem, one answer” syndrome has been thoroughly ingrained in our education system as much as it has in our professional lives.

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Quite simply, we are not taught how to be creative; rather our education is focused more on “mental compliance” than it is on innovative expression. In the workplace, our success is often determined, not by dynamic new ideas, but on how well “we toe the line” or “follow pre-established rules.” For much of our lives we are rewarded for behaviors such as obedience and conformity and criticized for independent thinking and curiosity. We are seldom given opportunity or reward for stepping outside the bounds of what is expected and into the territory of the unknown.

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However, when we consider that there might be a multitude of potential responses to any problem we break out of the “one-problem, one-answer” syndrome and begin to look for a host of potential solutions (and a host of potential ideas). One of the easiest ways to do this is to “What if” a problem or challenge. In fact, creativity experts have demonstrated that “What iffing” is one of the most powerful idea generators ever used!?It simply requires the placement of the two words “What if” in front of questions or situations you might normally pose (“What if we expanded our sales force into Canada?”, “What if we used dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate on our candy bars?”).?When we pose “what if” questions, the brain is stimulated to think in very divergent and creative ways.?Most important, it moves us away from a tendency to look for single right answers and into domains of possibility, potential, and options. Creatively speaking, we move outside the “box.”

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“What if” You Could Be More Creative?

Try two to three of the following “What if” questions.?How many possible responses can you come up with for each one (Remember, you’re not back in school - there are no right or wrong answers here)??Don’t think about the quality of your responses (that will severely limit your creativity), just think about the quantity of responses you could generate for each selected query:

·????????What if cats would come when you called them?

·????????What if you could choose your life expectancy?

·????????What if I changed the gender of the main character in the novel I’m writing?

·????????What if my daughter became an artist instead of an architect??

·????????What if a car could be invented that would be immune to accidents?

·????????What if you had an “artificial intelligence” watch that could predict the future?

·????????What if trees were completely eliminated from the earth?

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Asking “What if” questions is one of the most powerful creativity engines ever - it has the potential of producing a plethora of dynamic possibilities, helping us move outside our “mental comfort zones” and into new and exciting venues.?In addition, it propels us into an imaginative frame of mind - a frame without assumptions and without limits. It also propels us in new directions (cognitively speaking).?From a mental standpoint, it helps us explore dimensions typically not within our normal field of vision.?Besides the fact that it’s a fun mental activity, it’s also one that can generate an undeniable quantity of possible responses (not right responses or wrong responses, just possible responses).

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The key to the success of this creativity strategy is that “What-iffing” is non-judgmental - it doesn’t make any distinction between so-called “good” responses and so-called “bad” responses.?In fact, it makes no judgement whatsoever.?It’s beauty lies in the fact that it frees up the mind to produce a wealth of responses that might be hiding in the dark recesses of our minds or lodged in cranial corners that haven’t even been explored yet.?In many ways, “what iffing” is brainstorming with yourself - opening up your mind for all possibilities and putting all those ideas on the table before you.

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A Word of Caution

Asking lots of “What if” questions and supplying a range of responses to those queries will not guarantee you’ll be able to solve every problem or conundrum.?“What-iffing” is not a mental panacea.?It’s highly likely that a whole bunch of ‘What if” questions and a whole bunch of responses to those “What if” questions won’t always give you the innovative, creative, dynamic or necessary answers you need for every single problem at work or issues at home.

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But (and this is a BIG BUT), “What-iffing” will exercise your imagination and give your creativity a good workout.?It will move your mind into new dimensions - dimensions previously unconsidered.?It will break you of your dependence on practical, workable, and grounded ideas - the same ideas you have always turned to in the past.?Most important, it will free your mind to look at ALL the implications and ALL the dimensions of an issue or problematic situation.

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Many people reject the notion of “What-iffing” simply based on the idea that it is a waste of time.?“We don’t have time for such frivolous thoughts or non-productive ideas,” they may say.?Perhaps not.?However, “What-iffing” opens up new possibilities, it gets the brain cells unstruck from “same old, same old” ideas.?As a result, new ideas and innovative solutions emerge.

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I’m certain that folks such as Steve Jobs, Pablo Picasso, Albert Einstein, and Leonardo daVinci considered “what iffing” to be the “almost perfect” creativity strategy.

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Anthony D. Fredericks is the author of From Fizzle to Sizzle: The Hidden Forces Crushing Your Creativity and How You Can Overcome Them. (https://amzn.to/41RovmE).