January 5th, 2009 | by Jack Reichert
Building a business is not easy. Especially in today’s market, people are a lot less likely to be spending. Because of this it is important to keep thinking creatively!
What is creative thinking?
The word “creative” is an adjective defined as “relating to or involving the imagination or original ideas.”
Most of the greatest business ventures are built upon creative thinking. Doing what others have not done before. Success comes from providing a product that is better than any other in the field, or even creating a whole new market.
But how do you do that?
It’s not just about thinking differently. It’s about allowing yourself to think differently.
Evolutionary Thinking
Man evolved to think in certain ways in order to survive. While we need many of these thought pathways still, some get our way when trying to take our thoughts beyond.
We naturally categorize object, thoughts, people and everything we are exposed to. This way we can learn lessons for future interactions. For example: if you touch a hot stove you will know not to touch any hot stove, right?
This way of thinking is one of the causes of racism. If you meet someone who treats you poorly, you will be tempted to be careful of everyone who shares the same values as this person. You may assume that everyone from that person’s race would treat you in the same negative way.
Obviously, no one does this on purpose, but it is natural to think this way, and this is why it can be difficult to not be racist. Even though, knowing this now, it might seem silly to be racist.
What does this have to do with me?
My point is that our minds are wired to think in specific ways. But if you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses you will be more likely to overcome them, right?
When thinking about how to grow your business, think outside of the box… Literally. Think in ways that you might not normally. Even if the ideas seem silly at first, write them down and reassess them later. It takes time to develop new pathways and building your creative muscle will take time. Be patient with yourself as you develop new ways of looking at things.
If you can do this you will soon surprise yourself by finding new solutions to the problems that you might be having with growing your business.
Image Credit: alanaelliottphotography
Leave a Reply
