Empowering you to lead a joyful and creative life

Sometimes all you need is a different perspective to get some good ideas.

Think Backwards

In the early 60’s the FCC was concerned that some of the quiz shows had supplied contestants the answers (remember the movie the Quiz Show?)

Julann and Merv Griffin were on a plane to New York and she suggested that they give the contestants the answers and they guess the questions.  They had their concept of the show by the time the plane landed.  Jeopardy has been on the air since 1962.

Begin with the End

Think about what you want to accomplish and write down the end result as if it has happened.

For example, let’s say you want to write a book.

Write a book from the end or write the back cover first with the kinds of quotes people would say about your book  which gives you insight into what you want to write.

What are you working on now?  How might you start at the end?

P.S. In case you are wondering, the photo was taken at a wonderful garden design show we went to when we were in France a couple years ago and it is an etched shovel.

Filed under: Artist, Life Lessons, beauty, creating new habits, creative process, creative visualization, creativity, small steps
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“All gardeners live in beautiful places because they make them so.”

- Joeph Jourbert

This quote is a great reminder that we all have the choice to make our lives beautiful and that choice requires action.

You can start out with a tiny seed or idea and allow it to grow and blossom into something wonderful.

When you tend to your garden or your life and focus on making it beautiful, you will reap what you sow.

P.S. This picture was taken when we were at the Palace of Versailles outside of Paris, France a couple of years ago.

Filed under: Choices, Inspiration, Living Your Dream, creating a life you love
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Some Problems May Take More than One Pass to Solve

Do you ever find that you are so anxious to solve a problem that you take the first answer that comes to you or your group?

Sometimes that works beautifully. But sometimes you may need more than one approach and to be willing to experiment to find the best solutions.

The More the Merrier

One recommendation I have is to come up with several ideas instead of just one. You may still end up using that first idea but often you come up with even better solutions as you go deeper.

You may also end up combining ideas for a much more powerful solution.

What?’s Working and What?’s Not

One thing I?ve been tuned in to lately, though, is that sometimes you have a good solution to a challenge and once you implement it, you find that it can be tweaked and further refined for an even better solution.

Only you would not have come to that conclusion if you didn?t work through the first solution first. You don?t always understand enough until you start working through a problem to see things from a different perspective.

You can see what aspects of your solution work, what doesn?t, and what can be improved.

What does all this mean to you?

It means that your first attempts at solving a problem aren?t necessarily a failure if they don?t work out the way you hoped. They may be a stepping stone in the process.

Simply to be open to learning and experimenting until you are satisfied with the results.

Remember that old saying? If at first you don?t succeed, try, try again.

Do you have a problem or challenge that you are ready to make some adjustments to refine your initial solution?

P.S. If you need some help figuring things out, email me for an idea session or two.

Filed under: Brainstorming, Ideas, creative process, creativity
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