Brian Tracy: How to use creative thinking in solving problems as a genius?

About the author : Brian Tracy is known as a master in the field of successful thinking, a world-renowned speaker and training expert. During more than 30 years of successful thinking and training experience, he has helped hundreds of thousands of people including senior executives from IBM, FedEx, Hewlet-Packard, Wal-Mart, Ford reach getting personal goals and business goals faster and easier than they once thought. In addition to lecturing in more than 5,000 workshops in 80 countries, Brian Tracy is the author of more than 45 titles that share secrets of success in many fields, with a number of titles popular in Vietnam such as: Eat that Frog , Goals (The goal), The Psychology of Selling , Create your own future .

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Creative ideas that dominate the world!

They continually search faster, better, and in easier ways to accomplish their goals.

Creative ideas are the "owner" of breakthroughs, innovations and great improvements in human history. They know that sometimes a good idea is all that is needed to change a business or a person's life.

The biggest enemy of creative thinking

Mechanical thinking is the greatest enemy of creative thinking. It is a flexible and rigid way of thinking. That's the "My way or the highway" extreme thinking - understandably that it is "my way" or the way, it can't be changed.

Mechanical thinking stems from fear of failure or mistakes, time and money or both. It was created by concerns of criticism or disapproval.

Poor people often think:

1. Just think about black and white and not think about gray areas.
2. Think in an extreme way whether or not, either up or down without ever having both.
3. Thinking it is the only way to solve the problem while there are often many ways.
4. Victim of the so-called "balance state".
5. Stuck in their "Comfort Zone".
6. Frustration and fear of anything new or unusual, even that is just a conditional improvement.

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However, you are not among them .

You are a potential genius

You have more creative potential than you think. Indeed, you really will become more creative every time you do something new. This indicates that creativity is the best or only indicator or forecast of success in your life and work.

The more creative you are, the better your ideas will be to improve your life, work and everything around you.

A good idea may be enough to change the whole direction in anyone's life.

How to recognize creativity?

The creators are very curious. They put a lot of questions and never felt satisfied. In fact, you can become more creative just by asking more questions about what's going on around you rather than being content with superficial answers.

Genius is not important age.

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There are many studies of the qualities of geniuses over time. In fact, first, they discovered that intelligence is not important at IQ or education level. Many people are called geniuses with intelligence at or above average level. Instead, genius or outstanding minds are more important in attitudes and approaches to inevitable challenges in life.

In general, genius has the following three qualities, which can be developed over time:

1. They keep an open mind

First, they approach every problem or situation with an open mind, almost like the mind of a child who likes to learn and explore. The more you open your mind to new approaches and differences in situations that occur in your life, the more likely you are to gain great knowledge and ideas that will help you step out of your comfort zone. .

Ideas can help you get out of the box ( Think out of the box ).

The genius will constantly ask "why?", "Why not?" and "what if?".

2. Geniuses always carefully consider every aspect of a problem

Secondly, genius always considers every aspect of a problem carefully, refusing to rush to draw conclusions, instead collecting more data. They check and confirm predictive conclusions at each stage. They avoid rushing to make judgments. They are always open to the possibility that they may be wrong or that their opinions are not really accurate.

The best solution

Albert Einstein was once asked, "If there is a very urgent case or a potential disaster that will destroy the Earth within 60 minutes and you are asked to come up with a solution, what will you do?"

Einstein replied: "I will spend the first 59 minutes gathering information and last minute to solve the problem as best as possible."

In today's business world, especially in the development of new products, the more you spend close contact with customers to ensure that the idea of ​​a new product or service is exactly what you need. The desire and willingness to pay is more likely that you will succeed in a highly competitive market and change rapidly.

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3. Genius always approaches the problem systematically

Third, genius always uses a systematic approach to solving problems and making decisions.

Mathematicians, physicists, doctors, engineers and other people with perfect talents never approach a problem like a dog chasing a car running through it. In contrast, they follow a checklist (a list of specific tasks that need to be done towards a big goal or a reminder list) that is carefully designed and carefully studied, step by step. one to come to a conclusion.

Atul Gawande , in the book The Checklist Manifesto , tells the story of two investment professionals, both successful but one who achieves much greater success than the other.

Both have years of experience in evaluating and making effective investment decisions for themselves and their customers. However, more successful investors have built a checklist of essential questions, then, applied to each investment proposal before making a decision.

The remaining investor uses similar techniques and tactics to evaluate investment, but he relies heavily on experience and intuition. As a result, he often lost money while he should have benefited.

This is the interesting point Gawande pointed out. The first investor is always more successful than the other. However, in some cases, he made mistakes and lost money.

The reason is always the same. He neglected his list of checklist, missed one or two core points in the list of important things to consider. When reviewing the checklist meticulously, investment activities are improved.

Method of solving problems in a systematic way

I have discovered and synthesized an effective problem-solving method that you can use for the rest of your life.

Step 1: Determine a clear problem or goal

Identify the problem or goal clearly by writing a page. If you work in a group, write and rewrite the problems or goals on a Flipchart board or whiteboard until all members agree that "Yes. That's the exact definition of the problem. we are having ".

In business, finding a precise definition of a problem often helps to find a more clear solution.

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Step 2: Are there any other problems?

Once you've clearly defined your goal or problem, ask the question: "Are there any other problems?" Be careful with issues that have only one definition. Remember to identify and redefine the problem in different ways to easily find the most appropriate solution.

The worst thing that can happen is finding a great solution to an inaccurate problem or that problem doesn't exist.

Step 3: The process of innovation

The philosophy of successful business and operations is CANEI , short for "Continuous and Never-Ending Improvement" - Continuous and never-ending improvement.

Resolutely step out of your comfort zone. Continuously looking for newer, better, faster and cheaper ways to achieve your goals and move forward.

Prepare for failures when you develop or introduce new products, services, methods or strategies.Nothing goes on in the way you think. You will have to experience frustrations, difficulties, constant failures and temporary failures on the path to success.

Thomas J. Watson Sr. - IBM founder was asked how to succeed faster. He replied: "If you want to succeed faster, you have to double the failure rate. Success is on the other side very far from failure."

In fact, there is no such thing as failure. The only thing that exists is experience. Difficulties appear not to hinder but to guide. The recipe is to always try, try again and then, try to try something else.