7 Techniques to Supercharge your Creativity and Solve your Problems

Avish Parashar

Do you ever encounter problems, challenges or obstacles in your
business? If you answered 'no,' then you can stop reading and
continue to rake in the fortune you must be making! For the rest of
us, the answer of course is 'yes.'

For the most troubling problems, the biggest challenge is in your
inability to come up with new and innovative solutions. This is
because when you try to solve a problem, you probably use the same
approach every time ('let me sit here and think about it until I
come up with something...'). The next time you try to solve a
problem, try applying any (or all) of these approaches:

1) Be Obvious

Chances are, whatever your problem is, there is some conventional
wisdom about how to solve it. Ask yourself why you are not
following it, and evaluate for yourself whether your reasons are
valid. Sometimes the easiest solution is the one right in front of
us.

2) Be Contrarian

The opposite of being obvious, being contrarian means to consider
doing the opposite of what conventional wisdom says. If the
standard advice is to buy, think about selling. Instead of working
more, work less. Note: This does not mean you should automatically
DO what the opposite is; it just means to let your mind wander over
the opposite to get it working in another direction.

3) Start Where you are

Sometimes we get so caught up in the long term goal that we lose
sight of where we are. Think about your problem and what you might
do right now to solve it. Usually this results in frustration
because we don't have a fully formed solution. But just because an
idea is not fully formed does not mean that it does not have some
validity. Start with your current idea and watch as new ideas
present themselves.

4) Chunk up

If you can't figure out how to achieve your goal, try looking at
the bigger picture. If your goal is to earn $10,000 this month and
you can't figure out how, think bigger - maybe you want $10K
because you want to earn six figures this year. Then start to
brainstorm ways of earning six figures. Don't get so caught up on
your problem that you lose sight of the bigger picture.

5) Chunk down

The opposite of chunking up. Think in terms of smaller details.
Continuing with the $10K example, if you can't think of how to earn
$10,000 this month, can you think of ways to earn $333 per day?
Maybe, but even if you can't it gets the mind working in a new way.

6) Take a REAL Break

Stop working on the problem for a bit and let your subconscious
work on it. This requires two things. First, you need to actually
give your mind a break and recharge. Switching from thinking about
one problem to another will not do it. Get away from the problem an
your work, even if for only five minutes. Second, make sure you are
not dwelling on the problem. Taking a walk to get away from work is
great, but if you continue to mull over the problem your not really
giving your mind a break from it.

7) Move

Get the blood flowing! Exercise, walk, run, stretch, whatever. Be
it from blood flow, endorphins, or a change in focus, physical
movement enhances creativity. I do some of my best thinking while
shooting baskets. Find out what works for you and do it.

There are many different techniques you can use to solve a problem.
Try the few above to start, and then come up with your own. Use
them well, and watch yourself create new and exciting solutions
faster than ever.