We’ve all experienced it: we’re talking to somebody, and suddenly they are trying to solve our problems for us or give us unasked advice. Our first impulse? Shutting them down. Saying, “yes, but …”, and making clear that their idea is neither new nor helpful. But here’s the thing: if we do that, we’re missing out on some great creative potential.
If you want to get into the habit of thinking more creatively, here’s a tip.
Whenever you feel like saying “yes, but…”
for example:
- “yes, but I don’t have enough money for that”, or
- “yes, but that will take too much time”,
instead say “Oh, yes!”, and then something to make your friends think even harder for you (since they seem to love doing that). For example:
- “Oh yes, what a great idea! I wonder how I could make this happen within the tight budget I’m on.”
- “Oh yes, that’s a fantastic idea. Do you think there might actually be any way to make this feasible in such a short time frame?”
In other words, take the suggestion seriously, treat it as a brand new idea, and throw the ball back. I keep being surprised how often this results in new, better and actually useful ideas.
by Ursina Teuscher (PhD), at Teuscher Decision Coaching, Portland OR
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