How to Have New Ideas A Short Course by Steve Gillman Brought To You By http://www.IncreaseBrainpower.com And http://www.999Ideas.com Legal Notice This material is protected under International and Federal Copyright laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. Copyright 2008, 2009, 2010 by Steve Gillman 1 Table of Contents 3 - Introduction 4 - Lesson One - Creative Concept Combining 7 - Lesson Two - New Applications 10 - Lesson Three - Using an Idea-Generating Word List 15 - Lesson Four - Creativity and Innovation 19 - Lesson Five - Creating New Products Based On True Needs 22 - Lesson Six - Brainstorming 27 - Lesson Seven - Concentration and Brainpower 2 Introduction Not sure that you can come up with dozens of ideas by tomorrow? Do you think it is difficult to invent things in your mind? Do you believe creativity can't be taught? Do you also think that book introductions are long and boring? Well, you're about to change your mind. 3 Lesson One Creative Concept Combining In this first lesson, we are going to jump right in with one of the best techniques for creating new ideas: creative concept combination. Just start combining ideas and things, and voila, you're having fun - and maybe creating something new. Let's get to the examples. Concept Combination for Fun and Profit "Tattoo" plus "advertising" might lead to the first large tattoo placement advertising campaign. Want a monthly stipend for having a Coke logo on your forehead? For a ton of new business ideas, just combine the concept of "home delivery" with almost anything. Parties, tax preparers, rental swimming pools? Would people pay to have these things delivered? As with any idea-generating technique, you need to be careful not to stifle your creativity. Allow ideas to come without judging them. Critical analysis is for later. Also remember that these techniques are tools, not rules. If your mind goes off on a creative tangent - just let it. Randomly combining things is a great mental exercise when you're driving or daydreaming. A boat and a bicycle becomes a water-ski-bike that glides across the water using pedal-power. Combining stock-trading and McDonalds has you imagining the selling of stocks and bonds at drive through windows. For more specific areas of interest, look for things to combine with what you already have. If your taxi business is struggling, combining "taxi" and "pets" might lead to a successful arrangement with a kennel, to pick up and 4 deliver their client's cats and dogs. "Famous people," might give you the idea to run some sort of tour of the town, like they do in Hollywood. For maximum creativity in your innovation, look far and wide for concepts to combine. "Meditation" and "amusement parks" seem too unrelated to yield interesting combinations, but I'll bet people at a carnival would pay to be put into a meditative trance using the latest brain wave entrainment technologies. Limitless New Creative Concepts This technique is great for new product ideas, inventions and business ideas, but it isn't limited to those areas. In fact, some of the most creative new ideas come from combining concepts from radically different areas. Need examples? Church/Shopping Mall. Hmm... Four churches within one building. Christians, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists all sharing common space after there respective services and ceremonies. It might encourage tolerance, and even be inviting to those who want to "test" the various faiths. Jail/Mountains. Maybe use prison labor to maintain the trails in National Parks? Swimming/Alarm. Alarms for swimming pools? It sounds if a child falls in, and is otherwise easily turned off for regular use. Poetry/Economics. Hmm... Okay, I stared at the screen for five minutes, and nothing came to mind. That will happen, and when it does, you can just skip it. However, if you persist in looking for a new idea in the combining of two concepts, you'll find one. That is how this process works. Your subconscious mind is powerful. Put two concepts together, assume there is a connection that will lead to a new idea, and your subconscious will find it. 5 Idea Exercise Write a list of a dozen things and start combining them into new creative concepts. 1. __________________________ 2. __________________________ 3. __________________________ 4. __________________________ 5. __________________________ 6. __________________________ 7. __________________________ 8. __________________________ 9. __________________________ 10. _________________________ 11. _________________________ 12. _________________________ Combine the above concepts or things in any way, but just two at a time for now. That still gives you 188 possible combinations, which could generate hundreds of new ideas. 6 Lesson Two New Applications The whole lesson in short: Find new applications for existing ideas. Now the details. I just saw a new local business advertised on TV, a company that uses a dog to find mold in your house. Dogs can be trained to sniff out almost anything. It reminded me of the news story a year ago, about a dog that could detect if you had cancer. My first thought was, "I wonder what else they could be used to find?" This is a super technique for generating new ideas. Just find new applications for existing ideas and inventions. By the way, one idea that came to mind was to use dogs to find other pets. They find humans so well, so why not a service to find lost pets? One sniff of the cat's favorite rug, and the dog is on the trail. Finding New Applications This is another technique, which like concept-combination, can be used in all areas to create an endless supply of new ideas. Start with the essence of the idea, and look for new applications. Then look at any other factors that could be applied in new ways. For example, let's start with the pneumatic tubes that deliver your money and papers at bank drive-through windows. The essence is a cartridge that delivers things through a tube using air pressure. Could the same thing work for human transport? Ride "the tube" to the next city? Maybe as an amusement park ride? 7 Another aspect of the tubes is that they allow several customers to be waited on at once. Fast food needs that at the drive through. The tubes themselves would spill drinks, but the idea of multiple lines can be used. Several drivethrough windows, radiating out like spokes, at different angles, would allow three different lines of cars. Beyond Business In demonstrating all of these techniques, it is easy to get stuck on the invention and business applications. These are just the easiest areas to come up with new ideas in. That doesn't mean they don't work well in other areas though. I saw a story about socially withdrawn preschool children. Psychologist Robert O'Connor made a short video with 11 scenes. Each showed a solitary child watching other children participate in an activity. In each, the child joined the group, and everyone was happy. When he showed the film to severely withdrawn children at various preschools, the children immediately began to be sociable with the other children. Their new behavior persisted weeks later, though they saw the film just once. Withdrawn children who didn't see the film were as withdrawn as ever. Amazing research. You can probably imagine applications for these "coaching films." I'm imagining films in which criminals turn their lives around, to be shown in prisons. If young athletes were shown films in which it was normal to run four-minute miles or to do what is normally not considered possible, would their times and performances improve? I wonder. Idea Exercises Here are some easy exercises for you, to help you develop the habit of using this technique. 8 1. Think of two new uses for magnets. ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 2. You pedal a bicycle to make it go. Think of three new uses for pedalpower. ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 3. If you are familiar with Darwin's theory of natural selection, find a new application for the concept, but outside of biology. ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 4. We exercise our bodies, and we exercise our brains. What else can you apply the concept of exercise to? ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ Hopefully you're seeing how easy it can be to come up with new ideas. In the next lesson I'll show you a very systematic method, using a modifying word list. 9 Lesson Three Using an Idea-Generating Word List Using a word list is one of the easiest ways to create new ideas. Several times now I have seen giant chairs. The most recent one was in a bar, being used by the host of a trivia contest. It was eight feet tall. Someone made and sold that chair, but how did he think of the idea? The simplest way would be to look at things and ask "what if it was bigger?" That is the essence of the modifying word list. You look at things and ask, "What if it was..." and insert a word from the list. To show the technique in action, I just looked around the room and chose a table as a test subject. I look at the word list and ask "What if it was..." Bigger... If it had leaves that spread from a central pivot, it could be opened up easily into a larger surface, like a hand fan opened horizontally. Movable... The obvious idea here is to put wheels on it. Another possibility is a line of super light tables that can be carried from room to room easily. Cheaper... I once used an old door as a table. Are there cheap and available materials that could be used to make doors? Interesting... Make tables that are covered in family photos (or anything else you want). The top would then be encased in acrylic. Easy to clean too! Divided... Four small tables that can be used on their own or connected into one large table? Subtracted from... Take away the legs and it would be easier to clean under. Could it hang from the ceiling? 10 Hotter... A warming tray built into the center of the table might be convenient for keeping meals hot. Happier... Use colors that evoke positive emotions. Make cartoon-covered tables for day-care centers. Take notes as you do this, and develop or discard the ideas later. Most words won't give you useful ideas, but don't dismiss them without a few seconds of thought. Creative solutions can begin with unrelated thoughts. "What if it was boring?" may seem useless, but then it could lead to the development of a line of furniture based purely on function: simple and cheap. The Modifying Word List The list below is a basic one. Use it as is, but remember that there are hundreds of idea-generating words you could add to it. Any adjectives, descriptive phrases, or words that can change your perspective can be potentially useful. What if it was... larger smaller farther away closer sooner later easier more difficult softer harder poorer richer wetter drier higher lower 11 longer shorter white black certain uncertain newer older calmer more exciting boring interesting more casual more serious divided combined subtle extravagant more common less common faster slower better worse hotter colder added to subtracted from left alone hopeless stickier happier relaxed imaginary cheaper more expensive nothing 12 More Fun There is another way to use a modifying-word list. This may be even more fun. Start with the word instead of the thing or idea. Then apply the modifying word to everything you can think of. For example, if you start with the word "easier," you just look around at things and ask, "What if it was easier?" Lights... It would be easier to turn them on in the dark if they were voiceactivated. Plants... Sell a line of plants that are almost impossible to kill, for those of us that can't seem to keep house plants alive. Democracy... Maybe that company that makes the "For Dummies" books should add "Democracy for Dummies" to their line. Perhaps secure online voting would make it easier than going to the polls. Brainpower... Three deep breaths always works for me. I bet it would work better if I had a small oxygen dispenser. Idea Exercises For each of the following things and concepts, apply the "what if it was" question using the words from the list above. Write down at least a couple new ideas for each. A Car ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ War ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 13 Your Job ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ Part Two Pick a word from the list and apply it to the following concepts and things. Jot down at least one idea for each. Use whichever idea-generating words you prefer. What if a plane was ___________? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ What if education was ___________? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ What if the speed of light was ___________? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 14 Lesson Four Creativity and Innovation More creativity helps the process of innovation - so develop your creativity. We've covered three techniques for generating new ideas so far. Hopefully you had some fun and found them useful. It can also help to develop your natural creativity. That is what this lesson is about. How do you become more creative? Here is a two-step plan: 1. Encourage it. 2. Train your brain. Work on these right now, and you'll be more creative today. Encouraging Creativity Encouraging creativity will make you more creative. No big surprise there. This principle is true for many things you might want to see more of in your life. Encouragement works, but how do you encourage creativity? Start by paying attention to it. The subconscious mind tends to give you more of what you pay attention to. If you ignore the creative aspects of your life, you're telling your subconscious mind they're unimportant. Consciously note when you're creative, and look for opportunities to be creative and your subconscious mind will start feeding you more creative ideas. Writing down your ideas is another good way to encourage and increase creativity. Keep an "idea journal." Do this regularly, and you'll start having more ideas while you are writing. Small ideas may normally be forgotten, but by writing them down, your subconscious may work on them, and 15 transform them into something very creative. Encourage greater creativity in yourself by putting creative ideas into practice. If you paint or write, for example, try anything new, just because it's new. Even driving a different route to work to see if it is quicker can help. The point is to get you mind working outside of its regular patterns. Change your surroundings to encourage creativity. Want more creativity in your love life? Hike up a mountain with your partner. Need story ideas? Sit on a roof to write. For new ideas for your business, take a notebook to the park and sit by the duck pond. Any change of environment can get your brain out of its ruts. Training Your Mind for Creativity Entrepreneurs see potential profit in a situation, because their minds are trained for that. Lawyers see potential problems, because that's how their minds are trained. Watch any good comedian and you'll notice that she has trained her mind to look for the "different angle" on everyday things. The ways in which you repeatedly think become habit, and that's how you train your mind. If you learn the techniques of creative thinking, use them until they are a habit, then creative thinking will be as natural for you as lying is for a politician. Start with these three habits: 1. Challenge assumptions. What if restaurants didn't have employees? Visitors pay a machine as they enter, feed themselves at a buffet, and everything is as automated as possible, so one owner-operator could run a large restaurant alone. Challenge all you assumptions for practice. Do you really have to go to work? Do swimming pools need water? Can education be a bad thing? 2. Change your perspective. A dog's thoughts about your busyness could clue you in to the unnecessary things you do. Considering dollars-per-day instead of per-hour could give you a plan to let employees go home when they finish a quota. Increased 16 efficiency is likely, and you could adjust daily pay and quotas so both you and employees made more money. See everything from several perspectives. 3. Let ideas run wild. Does flying furniture seem silly? It could lead to the concept of a hoverlifter. Just slide the device under furniture and it lifts it with a cushion of air, making for easy moving. Try not to stifle your creativity. Just relax, let ideas come, and know that you can always discard them later. For these thought-patterns to be automatic, you need to use them regularly. It takes several weeks to develop a habit, so write a few of your favorite techniques on a card and carry it with you. Look it over throughout the day and apply the techniques to anything. A little work up front, and soon you'll have almost effortless creativity. Ideas Exercise Think of any crazy idea right now. It should be something that would embarrass you to say aloud, like, "What if I could go swimming with my computer," or "How could I teach books to fly?" Then think about it for a few minutes and write down any ideas that come to mind. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 17 Work with one of your ideas until it becomes something plausible. For example, swimming with a computer may seem silly. Giving it some thought, though, could lead to the idea of a small waterproof computer that instructs a swimmer how to adjust breathing and motions for greater efficiency. It might be a useful product. The idea here is to prove to yourself that "silly" ideas can lead to better and even useful ideas. It also just gets you thinking in new ways. This kind of practice will help overcome any tendency you might have to discount your creative ability. 18 Lesson Five Creating New Products Based On True Needs Identifying true needs is a great route to new product ideas. Have you ever been frustrated with the assembly instructions for something you bought? Or annoyed with the design of something? Good news! Every frustration can be the source of new ideas. A service that creates clear assembly and instruction manuals might make good money, for example. Hey, it's fun to dream up a hundred new ideas. It's even good exercise for the brain. Sometimes, though, that's all you get. It may be fun to imagine an inflatable helium chair that lets you float above your home, but can you sell it? Starting With True Needs and Desires Starting with common and easy-to-understand problems is the surest way to have not just new, but useful ideas. If you and six of your friends all have a similar complaint about something, there is a true need for a new idea there. If you run into the same frustration several times, it's time for a solution, right? For good ideas that solve real problems, look at what annoys you, frustrates you, gets in your way, or is difficult. Ask other people what issues they have too. If half of your older friends complain about stairs in their houses, it's time for a single floor housing development. I like to demonstrate these techniques with real examples. I also like to do it as I write, so I can be sure that it works as easily as I say. In this case, I'm going to think of several annoyances or "issues" I've had in the last few 19 days, and use them to come up with new ideas. Okay, it took me three minutes to come up with the following annoyances. I'll spend a minute or two on each, to see what ideas they stimulate. Problem: Delicate clothes... I want to throw everything in the washer, and then in the dryer. I dislike digging through to see what can't be washed in hot water, and what can't be put in the dryer. Hmm... If there was a store, let's call it "The Simple Life Store," that sold only clothes that could handle any type of washing and drying, I'd shop there. Problem: Forgetting to use what I know... I know how to reduce stress, but I forget to use the techniques. I even forget to use the memory techniques I know! Hmm... Would people pay for a twice weekly call from a "life coach?" You explain beforehand what your goals are, and they call to see if you are on track, to remind you, and encourage you. Fifteen minutes, $30? Problem: Uncertain car costs... There are a few things that may be going wrong with my car. The main stress, though, is from the uncertainty. No problem for months, and then $600 in brake work out of the blue. Arrrgh! Maybe a mechanic could have a set fee-per-mile for any and all maintenance and repair. Once you sign the contract, you know what your cost will be. Problem: Lack of space... We used to have a fairly small apartment years ago. Somebody could market a line of furniture that doubles as storage space. Couches, chairs - even tables might be designed to provide interior storage space, and still be attractive. A table than folds up into the wall when we're done eating might be nice too. Of course, once you identify the problems to be solved, you can combine any of the various problem solving techniques to generate ideas for new products or services. You can also use them one by one, to get as many different ideas as you can. "Assumption challenging" will definitely give 20 you different ideas than the "add-subtract-change" technique. Ideas Exercise Write down several things that annoy you or cause problems for you. Then think of a couple possible solutions for these. Even better, think of solutions that can be used by others who face the same issues. Problem or annoyance: _______________________________________ Possible solutions/ideas: ______________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Problem or annoyance: _______________________________________ Possible solutions/ideas: ______________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Problem or annoyance: _______________________________________ Possible solutions/ideas: ______________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ 21 Lesson Six Brainstorming So far the lessons have been on ways to create ideas on your own. For this lesson, I am reprinting a short article I wrote on brainstorming with others. It is from my web site, www.IncreaseBrainPower.com. The Key to Good Brainstorming Have you been in a "brainstorming" session where each person just defended their own ideas? Worse is when people don't suggest ideas at all, for fear they'll be attacked. That's no way to brainstorm. Brainstorming is using the power of many minds, and ideas should flow freely and trigger other ideas. How do you make that happen? You have to have a good leader to have good brainstorming. The leader isn't there to impose his will, though, but to stop the imposition of anyone's will. His role is to stop criticisms, arguments, and even strong opinions, at least in the first part of the session. A brainstorming session needs to be spontaneous, open and uncritical. "Bad" or "silly" ideas can lead to helpful ones, so suggestions have to be left un-judged at first. To brainstorm effectively, you can't stifle the creative process. The leader's job, then, is to make everyone feel free to suggest any ideas. An Example of Good Brainstorming The scenario: your business needs to cut delivery costs. The group throws out ideas and thoughts. "Let's not deliver," someone suggests, and when 22 another starts to criticize, you remind him of the rules. "Negotiate lower rates," somebody says, "Or just find a company with lower rates," another adds. Ideas like reducing package weight and charging customers more are suggested, and lead to other ideas. You keep it civil, take notes, and eventually call a halt to this free-for-all part of the session. Now it's time to evaluate and develop the ideas for whatever usefulness they may have. To keep the creativity flowing in this stage, have participants defend or develop ideas that are not their own. This brings new insight to the idea, and prevents the problem of ego-identification that causes people to get "stuck in a rut" with their own ideas. For example, ask the man who was critical of the idea of not delivering to work with that idea. "We have to deliver," he might start with. Then he thinks for a second and says, "I suppose we could deliver to central distribution points instead of to the individual customer. The customer could drive a short distance to pick up their order. That might save us on shipping." Someone else suggests that the customers may like the arrangement. They would be able to return the product immediately if they were dissatisfied, with no need to pack and ship it. You assign a couple people to look into it, and move on to the other ideas. Good leadership keeps the whole process working. In the last example, you've even used a "bad" idea to come to a possible solution. That's good brainstorming. 23 Lesson Seven Concentration and Brainpower Improving concentration and otherwise preparing for an idea-generating session is always a good idea. That's what this lesson is about Better Concentration When you work on something, concentration is automatic, until you're distracted. The distractions are often your own constant thoughts. With nothing interfering, you have more complete concentration, so here's a method to remove distractions, to control your wandering mind. Are you expecting something bad to happen? Is an argument going on just below the surface of your consciousness? Are you worried about something, or in pain? Find everything you can. This self-observation is crucial, and it will get easier as you do it more. You'll start to see how many things are going on in your own head, distracting you. Deal with these mind-irritants. Make a phone call that's on your mind, take an aspirin, and apologize to whomever you were fighting with. Write things on tomorrow's to-do list, to get them off your mind. If there's nothing you can do right now, tell yourself that. Do this exercise a few times, and you'll find it becomes easier to recognize what is just below the surface, irritating you and sapping your power of concentration. Set these mind irritations aside, and you will think more clearly. I have read that Stephen King writes with loud music on. What distracts each of us, or doesn't, is obviously personal and somewhat unique. Do 24 something about whatever it is that takes your mind away from the task at hand. Turn off the TV, feed your empty stomach, or turn your desk away from the window. When you take care of the external and the internal distractions, you'll be able to focus your attention and brain power like a spotlight. Watch a child building a sand castle sometime, and you'll see that the power of concentration really is natural. Brain Power Another thing that affects your ability to come up with new ideas is your brainpower in general. There are some quick things you can do to boost this. I won't get into the explanations of why these work here. Instead, here's a short list of some things and techniques which have some evidence for them and are easy to use. Have a cup of coffee or tea. Take three deep breaths. Sit up straight. Breath with your mouth closed. Listen to music that inspires you. Walk for ten minutes. Take Ginkgo Biloba capsules. Think three positive thoughts. Talk about something you love for a few minutes, and then get to work on the mental task before you. This one really wakes up the brain, and then you may be able to effectively transfer the energy created to whatever you need to focus on. 25 Train Your Brain All these techniques become more useful as they become habits. It takes a few weeks to develop a habit, so try to use a technique regularly for almost a month. Then notice what happens when you sit down and look at a bicycle. If you've trained your mind in "assumption challenging," you'll automatically ask things like, "Are wheels necessary?" "Does it have to go outside?" What if the "bike" was indoors and pedaling it ran a video screen? You could "steer" through endless different scenes. Time to put the lessons to work, and start creating those new ideas! 26 Special Bonus for Purchasers of Guy Finley's Book The e-book How to Have New Ideas has been available for some time as a bonus for subscribing to the Brainpower Newsletter. But for this special promotion of Guy Finley's book, I wanted to add a little extra. The following is a short piece about the importance of self observation and self awareness to one's ability to think creatively and powerfully. The Intelligence of Self Observation Why is self observation so important to the exercise of your intelligence and creativity? Because much of what gets in the way of thinking effectively and powerfully is not a lack of ability or brainpower, but the interference of ones own reactive mind. Let's look at some examples. John opens up a book about moral philosophy, and he is excited to read it. But what has him excited is not exactly the prospect of discovering new ideas. What he's really looking forward to is the confirmation of his own beliefs, and the discovery of new arguments to defend them and push them onto others. This is common, of course. Many of us buy books that are based on ideas we already agree with after all, don't we? Capitalists buy books about the virtues of free markets, creationists buy books about the flaws in evolutionary theory, and environmentalists buy books about the damage we're causing to the planet. By itself, this tendency is not harmful, and certainly not surprising. It limits our thinking, though, when we do not recognize it in ourselves and therefore don't make allowance for the bias it creates. This isn't just about books, of course. In fact, we "buy" ideas all the time from the intellectual environment around us. We "pay" for these ideas by investing our time and thought and ego into them. But we don't see how often we are only interested in those that fit our existing way of thinking. 27 And because of that lack of awareness resulting from a lack of self observation, we pass over facts and ideas that may lead to a better understanding. Seeing Our Own Biases Suppose a man has a strong belief that "a person is responsible for his or her actions." As a result of this and his accompanying philosophy, he not only dismisses certain ideas, but finds them offensive. For example, when he hears about a study showing that most criminals have a deficiency of copper in their bodies, he is annoyed and assumes it is an attack on the idea of personal responsibility. "They're just helping people excuse their bad behavior," he says. Now, if he's not in the habit of self observation, he won't notice that this isn't reasoning, but a reaction. It may even seem perfectly clear to him that such science is dangerous and ill-intentioned. On the other hand, what if he does watch himself, and catches the reactive nature of his thinking? Then he can question what he believes, or find a way to fit new facts into his thinking. With this and other scientific information about physical and psychological "causes" of behavior, he might come to a better understanding. He might even decide that people generally aren't responsible for their actions, but that they can be if they choose to be. Upon having this thought, he might notice his reactive mind protesting, "But we have to hold them responsible or people will all be criminals." This, he sees, is the fear that supports his prior belief. Upon seeing that, he can think, "no, they just have to be locked up if they are dangerous to others - that doesn't require a belief in absolute personal guilt." Nor does anything in reality suggest that others will become criminals if we don't call them "sinners." That is one possibility. The other is that upon seeing that there are things which encourage people to commit crimes, he still believes that people are responsible for their actions, but now recognizes that context is not irrelevant. We're all weaker at points in time after all, for all sorts of reasons, and recognizing this isn't a denial of responsibility for our actions. Perhaps correcting nutritional deficiencies, treating psychological problems and providing a better environment for people will lead to many less of them 28 choosing to do bad things. In whatever ways he changes his thinking or broadens his understanding, it happens because of self-observation. The resulting self-awareness lets him see his biases and work past them. He has the potential for clearer thinking and more creative perspectives. This isn't just about philosophical examples like those given, either. Simple pride about ones theory in biology, economics or family life can blind one to better ideas if it is not recognized as a limiting force. Being afraid to admit ignorance is another mind-killer. There all sorts of other things going on inside us too. One's own unconscious mind throws many obstacles in the path of clear thought, and self observation is what allows us to clear the way for better brainpower. Part Two: Self Awareness In Part One above, I point out how at the highest levels, better brainpower and maximum creativity cannot be separated from higher self awareness. What more can you do to become more self aware? Some people turn to meditation, and this is a good start. This helps one deal with the "monkey mind," which describes how the mind often jumps from thought to thought like a restless monkey in a tree, jumping around from branch to branch. The idea is to "tame" that busy barrage of thoughts. Meditative practices help you observe things more clearly, concentrate better, and perhaps think more efficiently. Efficient doesn't necessarily mean effective, however. A perfectly tuned car can still take you to the wrong destination, right? Self awareness, then, starts with this meditative observation of the "chatter" in your mind, but for more powerful thinking you have to look deeper, to see the content of those thoughts and identify the patterns and biases working there, often unnoticed by you. With that in mind, here are some more of the common biases and other patterns of thought that can get in the way of better brainpower. Many more are covered in my book, Beyond Mental Slavery. 29 Source Biases We're not always aware that we're under the influence of a bias against the source of an idea. For example, even a very rational scientist may discount the theories of another, without realizing that it has as much to do with his dislike of the person as with the merits of the ideas. If you doubt this, you can prove it to yourself with an experiment. Tell 100 people, "John Wayne said that citizens have a duty to fight for their country when their government asks them to. Do you agree?" Then make the same statement to another 100 people, but start with "Adolph Hitler said..." See how many agree with each version. You can guess the results without doing the work. We know from experience that where information, ideas, or even evidence comes from helps determine how people perceive these things - even when there is no rational reason to differentiate (it is rational, of course, to be more skeptical of information from a source with a justified reputation for being unreliable). It is common to note this bias, but it is also common to assume that "I'm not like that." Of course we are all subject to this ordinary pattern of thought. To get past this, then, we have to become aware of it in ourselves. We can start by asking questions like, "How do I feel about this source, and could that be affecting my thinking?" You might hate the slant of a particular news channel, for example, and so discount the importance of something they report on. Upon reflection, you realize that despite the political slant to their reporting, they never invent facts, and that if you saw the same story on a different station you would have thought about it differently. Here's another approach: When you feel a strong negative or positive reaction to some idea, evidence or information, imagine for a moment what your response/reaction would have been if you heard the same thing from a different source. In fact, imagine several sources and pay attention to what your mind does. We've probably all heard a friend defend the ideas of a favorite politician, even though we know he would denounce the same ideas if they came from someone he didn't like. To see if, and to what extent, this is happening in yourself, do this little mental exercise as honestly as possible. 30 Philosophical Biases We all have some fundamental ideas about various aspects of life. I hesitate to call this a "philosophy," because these thoughts are not always consistent nor consciously formulated in a person. In fact, many people unconscious philosophical perspectives contradict conscious beliefs. For example, a man might openly express capitalistic beliefs and yet still feel like business is somehow "dirty," perhaps because of childhood experiences. Whether conscious or not, our philosophical "leanings" can affect our ability to clearly and rationally think about things. For example, suppose a woman has a basic feeling or philosophy that hard work toward goals is what makes us happy. Then she reads about a study which found that those who could not quickly name three specific personal goals were actually happier than those who could. What might her response be? I made that study up by the way. If it was true, though, it might be fascinating to take it further and see why people without definite goals were happier. However, given this woman's basic philosophical bias, it seem likely that she might start asking questions like, "How did they measure happiness?" and "Why did they have to name their goals quickly?" These are valid questions, but probably a reactive challenge to the validity of the study rather than an attempt to get at the truth. Or to put it another way, the "truth" she wants to get at is getting in the way of honestly looking at the evidence and learning something new. Before we consciously see the logical implications of an idea, our unconscious mind has already figured them out, and caused an uneasy feeling if they contradict other important beliefs. We then react according to this "processing," and we may even feel obligated to defend our response that's where rationalization enters. If we asked this woman why she so quickly attacked the study rather than exploring the fascinating implications of its findings, she might say, "Because there is so much bad science out there." True, perhaps, but we would have to wonder if she did the same with studies that confirmed her philosophical leanings. With self observation we develop more self awareness. How do apply that here? When you react quickly to something, don't allow yourself to create 31 "reasons" to defend your reaction. Instead look for causes that may have been hiding just below the surface. What important beliefs do you have that might be challenged or confirmed by this new information or idea? Social Biases If we think a certain way because all of our associates and friends do, that can be fear of being ostracized from the group. Imagine if a scientist found evidence of a physical aspect of thoughts. Perhaps his mind races ahead to imagine the ridicule he'll face from his peers if he mentions such a radical hypothesis, so he ignores what he found, and stops thinking about it. This bias is commonly used against us. A person starts a statement with, "We all know that..." and whether what "we all know" is true or not, we have been warned that we will be looked at as an outsider if we disagree. This is less a statement of the obvious than an argument from intimidation, but it is often more subtle than this. For example, there is an unspoken agreement among many people that they should never point out that affirmative action (purposely hiring minorities) fits the exact definition of discriminatory hiring. I propose that such social "correctness" not only intimidates people into silence, but it prevents clear thinking (and certainly rational discussion) on some topics. There may be good reasons to limit what you say, but why limit what you think about? Ask yourself what uncomfortable thoughts you've entertained at times. Then do a simple experiment. Imagine if you lived in a place where everyone agreed with those ideas. Would you feel more comfortable exploring them? You may be biased and limited by the beliefs of those around you. 32 Other Books by Steve Gillman Beyond Mental Slavery You think you control you mind, but your mind is often the one in control. Ideas, biases and internal dialogs are mistaken for your own thinking - for your self. But they are not you, and they don't look for truth. In fact, these mental programs seek only to perpetuate themselves. Beyond Mental Slavery looks at many of the various reactive processes and biases that become your master, determining your subsequent thoughts and the actions. It points out the limitations inherent in ordinary thinking. Then it lays out steps you can take to escape the rule of the reactive mind - to gain a new intellectual and personal freedom. You can have a more powerful mind, but also one that is more useful and under control. Use this link to order from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Mental-Slavery-BreakingThinking/dp/0982654707/ref=sr_1_1 ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272646809&sr=8-1 Or to read excerpts, visit: http://www.BeyondMentalSlavery.com 33 Secrets of Lucky People Don't you agree that some people have more good things happen in their lives? Would you like to learn how to be one of these lucky people? Then get this book. But it is more than just a book. It is a true course in how to have good luck. Each chapter/lesson covers an important principle you can apply to your life. Believe it or not, there has been some serious scientific research done on lucky people, and you'll read about it here. Even more important are the good-luck tales. Many are true stories, and they demonstrate the principles in action. They also help the lesson to "stick" in your mind. Then, after every chapter/lesson there are the exercises. These are designed to get you thinking like a lucky person. Do this easy "luck work" and you'll start to see results in days. Use this link to order from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_16?url=searchalias=stripbooks&fieldkeywords=secrets+of+lucky+people+steve+gillman&sprefix=secrets+of+lu cky Or to get Secrets of Lucky People for less as an e-book, visit: http://www.GoodLuckSecrets.com 34 Problem Solving Power If you liked this short book on how to have new ideas, you'll really love Problem Solving Power. It has dozens of great problem solving techniques you can use to become a master of creative problem solving. Apply what you learn and you can have a hundred new ideas tonight! PDF e-book. For more for immediate access or information, visit: http://www.IncreaseBrainpower.com/problem-solving-book.html The Secrets Package This package of great PDF e-books includes the famous: You Aren't Supposed to Know - A Book of Secrets, along with 99 Lies, A Survival Guide for Interesting Times, and several other great books. You can also sign up for the free e-mail course, Secret Information and How to Use It. Details here... http://www.thesecretinformationsite.com Mind Power Meditation Although this e-book is a good general guide to how to meditate, it is specifically aimed at how to use meditation for improving one's mind. It is offered free, a chapter at a time by e-mail. Get your free copy here: http://www.BestMeditationCDs.com (the end) 35