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- Nurture in yourself an ability to see and consider contradictory or impossible ideas.
- Develop an awareness about being too attached to your own ideas.
- Suspect "the ONE right answer," especially if it`s your only answer.
- Decide what to do from your best choice between several right answers.
- Consciously look for alternatives.
Dr. Edward De Bono, renowned creativity specialist, suggests, "If only two possibilities are evident, choose the third!" This approach will cost you some time.
- It does require extra time to be flexible enough to find, evaluate and integrate other alternatives.
- Flexible thinking improves the likelihood that a change in your consciousness can occur.
- Rarely is everything so urgent that no time to think is possible.
- Often the criteria that defines a worthy problem needs to be challenged.
- How much of your work is really mission critical, long term and strategic?
- Can you take time to think and then act accordingly?Einstein was impervious to most of our everyday dilemmas. He dealt with extra-personal, BIG problems, like "Simplifying the Universe."
- Since the rest of us have to deal with this universe, here are four more proven ways to help you challenge and change your thinking: - Keep things as simple as possible, but no simpler.
- Conserve your mental and physical energy for high priority projects.
- Create an environment that welcomes independent thinking from every level.
- Set an example for thorough thinking, reflection and overview.
It`s true that Einstein revolutionized concepts about time and space, "The Laws of the Universe are not relative," says Einstein, "Only our perceptions of them are."
"My only talent for genius," says Einstein, "is my inquisitiveness."
- He was able to stretch his perceptions and continue working on a problem for as long as it took, even decades if necessary.
- If your timetable is shorter, you can still learn from his diligence to regularly challenge assumptions.
- What can you regularly do to become a receptive place for good questions; your own and others`. Be slow to take "No," or other easy answers. Einstein`s advice is relevant, "Never let yourself be seduced by any problem, no matter how difficult!"
Article excerpted from The Alessandra Report (April, 1996)
Copyright Arden Bercovitz, Ph.D., CSP. All rights reserved.Arden Bercovitz, Ph.D., CSP portrays Albert Einstein for speeches and workshops with leading-edge organizations. His mission is to inspire insight and innovative thinking.
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Problem Solve Like Einstein, by Arden Bercovitz, PhD, CSP
"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of consciousness that created them," says Albert Einstein.
Einstein`s approach to solving big problems was to open up to new ways of thinking, redefine original ideas about every problems, and continually consider alternates.
This mental process is not rocket science! It is simply paying attention and learning when to change the way you think. An open mind can better appreciate and recognize new information and new ideas.
- It`s also being aware that new questions can change the way you respond and resolve any problem. Here are five easy to remember mental guidelines to help you shift and keep your mental gears moving: