Brainstorming Alone? Here’s the Best Method

Last week, I found myself in the bizarre position of attending a conference for YouTube creators. Talk about a fish out of water. One of the sponsors had bought my book for a bunch of attendees and invited me to a VIP dinner.

Did I belong there? Not even close. Did I go anyway? Absolutely.

Why? I'm a huge believer in practicing what I preach. I've spent years talking about the value of random inputs to spark fresh thinking. I believe I must walk the talk, even if it means wading into the deep end of an unfamiliar world.

Let me tell you, it was about as comfortable as wearing a suit made of cacti. But that's the point, isn't it? As I sat there, nodding along to discussions about likes, subscribers, and algorithms (still not sure if I'm saying that right), I was reminded of a fundamental truth: growth is uncomfortable. It's why so many of us shy away from tools that truly spark creativity.

They don't just nudge us out of our comfort zone; they shove us off a cliff.

But here's where it gets interesting. Amidst the chatter about viral challenges and collab houses, someone turned to me and asked, "So this is your book? I’ve got a question for you: How do you brainstorm alone?"

I couldn't help but grin. Oh, my friend, do I have a trick for you.

It's called the Wonder Wander, and it's about to become your secret weapon for solo ideation. But before we dive in, let's consider these words from the advertising legend himself:

"The majority of business men are incapable of original thinking because they are unable to escape from the tyranny of reason."
- David Ogilvy, Confessions of an Advertising Man

If you're anything like me, your first thought was, "Challenge accepted, Ogilvy!" Quickly followed by, "Wait, how exactly do I escape this 'tyranny of reason'?"

Well, that's exactly what I'm about to show you. We're about to unpack a simple tool that'll turn your world upside down and your ideas inside out. Whether you're a YouTube creator, a business professional, or anyone in need of a creativity boost, this method will help you break through mental blocks and generate fresh ideas.

One way to escape the tyranny of reason is to embrace random inputs. Yes, random. But to truly break through, the key is to consider the random as if it has bearing on the problem at hand — entertaining this possibility, and even forcing it, to spark one's thinking.

In Ideaflow and in courses at Stanford, we encourage folks to go on what we affectionately call a "Wonder Wander" when they've got a business challenge to solve. If they're wondering how to solve a problem like, "How do I get customers to try our other products?" we would encourage them to go on a walk with that problem in hand (in mind), and try on connections with things they see on the walk:

- oh! a school playground! … what does a kids' playground tell me about this challenge? (showcase what other "kids" (customers) are playing with ...
- oh! a BMW just passed by … how would BMW think about this? (make an "options package" they could add / customize) ...
- oh! an amazon truck … how does amazon do this? (show "other customers viewed" suggestions based on other customers' history) ...
- oh! a stop light … what could a stop light tell me? (give people a "yellow light" warning before a product runs out) ...
- oh! a nail salon … what could a nail salon tell me? (put different selections of colors by the checkout) ...
- oh! a basketball goal in a driveway … what could basketball tell me? (what if there was a "shot clock"? could there be "steals"? what about "three pointers"?)

I just did an imaginary wonder wander in my head, but you can see how fruitful the technique is in provoking fresh thinking.

When you're stuck on a problem, and the ideas aren't flowing, perhaps the best thing you can do is leave your space, seeking out connections in other places.

A wonder wander is a foundational way to practice inspiration.

Related: Be Sparkable
Related: Unbox Thyself
Related: Practice Inspiration

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