Reject Your First Thought
Imagine you’re in a brainstorming session. The challenge is thrown down: come up with the next big idea. Your first thought pops up—it’s decent, but is it truly groundbreaking?
I’d like to suggest that pushing past that initial idea could be your key to success.
Here’s a gem from an unexpected source—a seventh grader in Ohio, who defined creativity beautifully: “Creativity is doing more than the first thing that comes to your mind.” This simple insight came from the schoolhouse, but applies universally, especially in high-stakes environments like tech and business.
For all the virtues of intuition and experience, in a rapidly changing environment, a more helpful mantra might be “First idea, worst idea.”
Take it from Whitney Burks, a pioneering creative thinker, who says, “Sideline your first idea. It’s a cop-out. The real magic happens when you push further.” This principle isn’t just anecdotal; it’s backed by research. The tragedy lies in our quick satisfaction with initial ideas, not realizing that like a fine wine, ideas too, get better with time and space.
Experimentation is Key: The Magic of Multiple Ideas
Astro Teller, the Captain of Moonshots at Google X, often challenges his teams to present multiple ideas. Surprisingly, it's frequently the 'dummy' ideas that break new ground. The lesson? Always explore a range of possibilities.
To ensure you're mining the depths of your creativity, try this powerful tactic: generate and compare multiple ideas. Start by brainstorming at least three distinct solutions to your challenge. Then, evaluate each idea based on criteria like feasibility, impact, and originality. Finally, select the top two ideas and refine them further.
By forcing yourself to come up with multiple solutions, you push past the obvious and uncover more innovative ideas. The goal isn't just to have another option but to explore a spectrum of possibilities that could lead to a transformative breakthrough.
Interactive Challenge: Don’t Just Read, Do!
I encourage you, right now, to grab a piece of paper or open a new digital note:
Write down your current challenge or project.
Rapidly jot down five potential solutions, no matter how outlandish.
Set the list aside for an hour or a day.
Revisit it and see which ideas grow on you, and which ones spark new thoughts.
This exercise isn’t just for this moment. Make it a regular part of your problem-solving toolkit. The results might surprise you.
Engage with Us
Have you ever found a brilliant idea buried under the ‘obvious’ ones? Share your story in the comments or on our social media. Let’s build a community of creative thinkers who aren’t afraid to dig deeper. If you want to go super deep, join the Try Ten™ Community of Practice!
Remember, creativity isn’t about settling for the first thing that pops into your head. It’s about exploring the unknown territories of your mind. So, what else are we trying?
Related: Paint & Pipette Presents: Astro Teller
Related: Paint & Pipette Presents: Whitney Burks
Related: Hack Your Creative Blocks
Related: Try Ten™ Community
Join over 24,147 creators & leaders who read Paint & Pipette each week
One of the defining contributions the d.school is helping teams ask themselves, “What kind of thinking is appropriate, when?” We call such clarity being “Mindful of Process.” And it can seem like semantics until you realize we need to show up in different ways.