Inspiration hits and excitement grows when ‘re-vision’ means opening your eyes. Not just to ‘go over’ what you have learnt, but to gain insight from a different angle.
As someone who can identify with panic and overwhelm leading to absolute procrastination and further panic, Adam Grant captures everything I wanted to hear and more. I like to play! It’s okay, the endorsement of an organisational psychologist is good.
I have to admit I have lots of ‘bad ideas’ that seem brilliant at the beginning. My master plan for this week was, it’s a ‘holiday’! I will go back over ALL my last 5 weeks lectures/tutorials and ‘do it again’ – transcribe, re-read etc. If I break it down into ‘bite-sized chunks’, I can creatively draw a plan for each subject. Thus, giving immediate recall on content. Well, I’ve managed one lecture and it was an introduction… and it’s Friday already.
Inspiration to roll with it
The thing is, I’m being side-tracked all the time. And not just the phone, work, life ‘things’, it’s discoveries like this. There is just so much out there to be explored.
Earlier today I was drawn in by Edward de Bono and the Marmite tale I had heard in class (and I had forgotten). So, I researched a little more – De Bono’s Marmite plan for peace in Middle Yeast (and other snippets). Ended up getting yet another two books for my Kindle – Six Thinking Hats and How to have Creative Ideas… more reading??? I need six thinking heads to multi-task books!
Adam Grant and this TED talk has really made my evening. Watching this little gem has given me another strategy. And courage to keep on plodding and probing innovative ideas to make it all ‘sticky’.
“and so, the key to being original is just a simple thing of avoiding the leap from step three to step four. Instead of saying, “I’m crap,” you say, “The first few drafts are always crap, and I’m not just there yet.” “…the greatest originals are the ones who fail the most, because they’re the ones that try the most.” … “If we want to be more original, we have to generate more ideas.“
I will cut out the ‘I am crap’ thoughts (for at least the next hour) and recognise that even if ‘I am crap’ it doesn’t matter. Concentrate on being an original and creative thinker by not admonishing my creativity sparks! And instead, follow positive inspiration. Enjoy the journey… even if I am under tall in a forest of overgrown green things with no idea how to be left handed and swing a billhook in the right direction, the pathway IS in there somewhere.