Get There

I saw this post from Elaina, a student of mine, on social media the other day. I felt proud that this young lady is wise beyond years and inspires so many people with her social media posts.

The other day I was making a presentation at her alma mater. The topic was Idea Generation. We were discussing breaking through blocks. Writers block in particular. Most of the time blocks are put up right from the beginning. I remember writing reports for school, and getting started was always the hardest part. Then I figured it out. You don't have to start at the beginning. Just start writing, extemporaneously, as you are quickly scribbling down notes, there comes the AHA! moment. "That is where I should start this!" and continue writing. Editing as you go along. 

It's sorta like building a jig-saw puzzle. You can't start by taking the first piece out of the box and putting it in the right place. You have to dump the box on the table and start moving around all the pieces, till you find that one that you can start from.

I introduced the students to Roger Von Oech's "Whack Pack" cards which accompany his hit book "Whack On The Side Of The Head". In each example of thinking differently in problem solving, I shared examples of his Four Roles of the Creative Process. 

Download a FREE copy of the Four Roles of the Creative Process Here.

The roles are diagrammed as a circle with the four roles split in two main areas: Play and Work. This is one circle where you may go back and forward as you become the Explorer, Artist, Judge and Warrior.

The first two roles (Explorer and Artist) are in the play-time. The final two roles (Judge and Warrior) are in work-time. It is most important to PLAY when being the Explorer and Artist. In PLAY we do not make judgements, ideas are neither good or bad, but ideas. A very Zen way of thinking. You gather ideas as the Explorer, and you manipulate the ideas as the Artist. Without any judgement as to what you are doing.

"Impossible!" You say.

True. We are human.

The key is to question those judgements. Recognize when you are making an assumption. Ask the opposite. Change the rules. PLAY. 

At some point you will have the manipulated ideas figured out. We move to work and play the Judge role. You review the manipulated ideas and ask how they are solving the problem at hand. You make a case for the outcome. When the ideas are completely justified, we play the Warrior Role. We fight for the idea, no matter what it takes, we battle on. Without question. We are confident because we used the process that this idea is the best solution for the challenge. We create a paradigm shift. We WORKED.

And it all happened because we started.

When you are ready to get started. I am here to add the fuel. 
Tony Colombini • 949-584-5669 • TonyC@BlacktopMedia.net