Think Inside the Box

The short and the long of this practice (Practice #6 if you are keeping score) is essentially "necessity is the mother of invention." While it is wonderful to free our imaginations by challenging and questioning the structures and strictures that contain us (and maintain us), it is also useful to force the imagination or to pry it open as the authors describe in this practice. In many real life scenarios there are real limitations that cannot be moved or rethought or made to disappear. So, in this practice, the authors propose the idea that sometimes you have to be imaginative and inventive inside the box. I think most of us, at least in our work lives if not our home lives are familiar with this. For example, planning for how you will make the rounds of family and friends during a major holiday...generally many limitations are in place and a great deal of ingenuity is required.

Consider the Imagination Playground work of David Rockwell. This concept essentially uses basic elements and lets children create there playground within the relative limits of what is provided.

Fast Company did an article on this much anticipated work last year. It is a great read. And, I think that forcing ourselves to think creatively inside of the box is a good exercise. Think about doing this for dinner, for example.

Do you ever just go to your cabinets and freezer, see what you have around that needs to be used, and create a new combination, delicious meal from it? I have over 100 cook books and cooking magazines...but guess how I prefer to cook? You got it. Select some ingredients and create something new. It is fun. It exercises my imagination...and it keeps us out of the food rut. And, yes, generally it is delicious.

More than once while thinking about this topic I am reminded that sometimes we adults need to give ourselves permission to think more like children. Have you ever watched your children play? They are completely creative, making artful use of imagination. Children are not stopped by the limits of "reality" or "practicality"...but they do think inside the box. They do play and create within limits set by their surroundings. Can you recapture your childlike love of imagining? It does require giving up some limits our adult minds have placed on us (at least temporarily). But, it is fun! Try it out. Think inside the box today and see what you can pry out of your imagination.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

A free greeting card by Smilebox

Reinvent the Wheel -- Yes!

In Practice 5 of Imagination First, the authors explore the possibilities that are created by reinventing the wheel -- being willing to give back the "givens" and reconsider what we know to be "true" and "best" and "accepted".

Take a different point of view of a problem...and open yourself to new possibilities

The authors encourage us to take a step back, expand a problem rather than confining it. What does this do? It changes our frame of reference, it allows us to question what is a "given" about the situation, it opens us to other possibilities...and it allows insight to emerge. We are often benefited from considering the wider environment and then treating nothing as sacred.

We all know and most would readily agree that "things change". This means, too, though that the context of our problems change. With a changed landscape, all of those things that were a "given" in the previous reality are also up for reconsideration. As the authors note: "Most givens can be given back." This is a somewhat startling reality when you really stop to think about it. With a wider frame of reference and a willingness to give back the givens and treat nothing as sacred, we are freed to be entirely imaginative and creative. Think of the social innovations that could occur and the problems that could be solved if we stopped ourselves from bumping up against the structuring effects of our own past and allowed a new structure to emerge that brought with it bright new insights and a range of new possibilities. Wow.

The beauty of looking at clouds is that you can imagine them as almost anything you want...you have a wide frame of reference. Consider that.

And by the way....apparently some imaginative folks at MIT have reinvented the wheel. Go have some fun! And, especially in this season of the year, remember to give back.

Make way for Awe

The 4th Practice - Awesome!

I like the 4th practice highlighted by Liu and Noppe-Brandon in their book, Imagination First, "Make Way for Awe. Nurture humility and the wonder that comes with it." I like it because it is so much fun. When is the last time you felt awe? To me, it is an amazing feeling. I think that I am probably not easily impressed, but I do tend to be more easily awed. I also like the description of "awe" by John Seely Brown: "Awe drives imagination." Think about that. What is it that pushes us to reach further, to stretch our minds, and to look beyond our present circumstances? Maybe AWE is a good explanation.

I have often been awed -- by the beauty of nature, the innovation of people (imagine, we are now able to print human organs...literally print bio material -- yours or mine. Now, that is awesome, right?). I have also been in awe of some very special people. Those who I have looked to as leaders and mentors and coaches. Their wisdom, intellect, and sheer courage have awed me on many occasions. Have these pushed me to be more imaginative? To try to grow? To try to become better myself? Yes, often this was my response. I am also awed by people who pursue their dreams -- even if that means making big life changes and giving up "good" situations. I aspire to be like them.

So what awes you? I think the authors are correct. You must make way for awe. You must make room for awe. You must get outside of your own head enough to observe what is happening around you and be prepared to be awed. Nurture your natural curiosity and wonder and see what awes you...you will find it to be an amazing experience!

Best of luck! Remain open to wonder and make way to be awed. People might surprise you.

Flip What's Foolish

Flip What's Foolish - Practice #3

Continuing on in my discussion of the practices found in Imagination First by Eric Liu and Scott Noppe-Brandon, we come to practice #3. Practice #3 is entitled "Flip What's Foolish. Make it wise to be foolish, and every fool will generate wisdom."

This is a challenging idea for those of us who tend to be driven, self-evaluative and a little on the perfectionistic side. Fear of appearing foolish to others, or being judged as foolish by our own evaluation must rank up pretty high on the list of common fears. Nobody wants to appear to be foolish and this is exactly why this practice is needed. Unless you can risk having a potentially "foolish" thought or risk that others might think your idea to be silly or foolish, you unnecessarily cap your capacity for imagination and from this creativity and innovation. How many great ideas that we now see as highly innovative and even world-changing were thought to be foolish when they were first introduced? Probably most. We know that the great ideas are not those that are necessarily the most obvious or the most consistent with "common wisdom" or your current thought frame. The great ideas are stretch ideas. So, risking to appear foolish to ourselves (at least) is the starting point to unleashing the full scope and power of your imagination.

So, tell that little (or big) self-critical guy or gal to take a break for awhile. Schedule sometime in your life to think foolishly...and see where your imagination takes you. You may just discover the power of possibility. Maybe even revel in the foolishness of your new ideas...sort of like jumping in a leaf pile as a kid. Be a kid. Play. Have fun. Generate all sorts of crazy and foolish ideas. You'll know the ones that stick with you. Develop those.

Imagination first...we need it

Well. Here we are just post election with a few contests still outstanding but most decided. And...we, as a country, voted for change, at least that is what is often heard. I recently read another blog post on leadership that advanced the argument that we did not vote for change, but that we voted for improvement. I think that is right. We want things to be better. If you cannot deliver, we will vote you out and vote in someone we hope can deliver. Now, we have a crop of newly elected officials (especially nationally) who will endeavor to become leaders...and to make things better. To do this, I think, will require IMAGINATION FIRST.

I posted a comment today on an interesting inspirational book, The Pink Bat, which argues that we need to see problems as solutions (I am oversimplifying) and develop a new mind set that allows us to do this effectively. It strikes me that this is a mind set that our elected officials will need as well. In order to do this, however, these elected officials will need to use imagination first.

In continuing my discussion (introduced in my previous blog) of the excellent book: imagination first. unlocking the power of possibility, we have been exploring each of the 28 1/2 practices presented in the book. The 2nd practice, that we will explore in today's blog, is "Leave the Campfire. Know your enemy: it is you, scared."

I love this practice because it really does get at one of the biggest drains on imagination and growth...our own fear. The cool things is that everyone has fear. Everyone. Courage, some say, is not the absence of fear, but the ability to face your fear and act anyway. It is a little odd to think that something that is often internal (our own imagination) and not, therefore, open to criticism by others, is subject to fear. But it is. We too often let our fears stop us from imagining something that might be possible. "What would others think?" "This is a completely irrational idea." I do not know anyway to prevent fear...except to not live. However, I am learning to face my fears...to stare them down...and to realize that sometimes, maybe most of the time, they are what is irrational. So, free yourself from your fear and free up your imagination!

Those who are now voted into power, listen up. Use your imagination to create new ideas and better realities. Bring out your pink bats or your magic sticks or your prayers or whatever it takes...but do not stop short of being imaginative. We have had enough of the same old way of doing things...and we need things to be better. So, let's all imagine a better future and then create it.