If you are a regular visitor to this blog you know that I present many techniques here for creative thinking, deep thinking, and problem solving. This post is a summary of some of those ways to think differently. I don’t go into detail, but you can get more information on my sites, www.999ideas.com, www.radicalnewthoughts.com, and www.thethousandmilehole.com.

Consistently Challenge Your Assumptions – Are windows on houses realy necessary? Do towns and cities need streets and sidewalks? Is it true that you have to go to work tomorrow morning – or ever?

Explain The Other Side – You can miss a lot of ideas because of reflexively defending our own opinions. Try to mentally take the other side of an issue. Who Knows? You may have better arguments than your opponent.

Consider Purposes – The purposes(s) of a television? Perhaps to entertain us. To make us happier? How well does it fulfill these purposes? Is there a better way to pursue these goals?

Try Different Metaphors – A common metaphor is “out of the box” thinking. What about “beyond the ego-word net” instead? A spiritual path might become a spiritual treasure hunt.

Identify Implicit Premises – Arguing about how to fight a war carries the implicit premise that war is necessary or unavoidable. But is this really true?

Ask Silly Questions – Which type of music is the favorite kind of dogs and cats? Could we give the right to vote to smart computers someday?

Take Different Perspectives – Mentally design a house in which you have to move about very little? Consider how would your past self would see you current life situation?

Go Beyond Logic And Words – Sit and meditate on or observe something without thought. You may see things that words prevent you from seeing.

An Exercise

To practice thinking differently, choose three different techniques from above and use each one to generate new ideas. You might want to apply each technique to the same issue, problem or topic. That way you can see clearly how the different ways to think generate different ideas and thought processes.

Want To Know A Secret?

How about many useful and fascinating secrets? Then click that link above and go sign up for the free e-course “Secret Information And How To Use It.” This is my course. – Steve