In the article, “14 Ways to get Breakthrough Ideas,” author Mitch Ditkoff offers up a series of methods in which an individual can activate their mind, think outside the box, and increase their capacity for creativity in the pursuit of uncovering the next great idea.
The article begins by suggesting two separate schools of thought on the subject of innovative thinking. The first concept gives full attributes full credit to the inventor, having given their time and effort to the idea, and making their idea(s) a reality. The second attributes all ideas to a transcendent force, or “Collective Unconscious.” Through this collective, one does not create an idea, but simply accesses the idea from a realm of possible, existing ideas. While the article does not discern which way of thinking is best, it does offer fourteen methods that can be used to further boost your mind, and put you in the proper state to let ideas flow.
These suggestions include, Following your passion, Immersing yourself [into your idea], tolerating ambiguity, making new connections, fantasizing, defining the right challenge, listening to your subconscious, taking a break [from your idea / work], noticing and challenging existing patterns and trends, hanging out with diverse groups of people, brainstorming, looking for happy accidents, using creative thinking techniques, and suspending logic.
Though I found most of the suggestions to me insightful, amongst the listed prompts, three stood out to me as particularly good ideas. The first being, “take a break.”
The article talks about famous computer designer, Seymour Cray and his unusual quirks in his style of work. While he works, according to the article, Cray will often step away from his project and go outside to dig an underground tunnel below his Chippewa Falls house. While this may seem like strange behavior, the act helps Cray to relax his mind, and prepare for the task ahead.
When reading this portion, I could absolutely relate to the advice Ditkoff presented. I cannot even list off the number of times taking a break has helped me in my creative process. Something about letting the brain relax, clear, and switch direction, it somehow brings a greater focus when one returns to the question at hand.
I for one find this method extremely helpful in real life. With the shows in which I participate, school work I maintain, stand-up show I operate, and student organizations I attend meetings for, I sometimes feel as though I barely have time to breathe. However, when I wake up in the morning, and begin my daily regiment, there’s consistently one time frame where my mind truly comes alive; when I’m in the shower. I don’t know if it’s just the sound-cancelling setting, or the rhythmic pattern of water splashing around me, but my mind clears. From this clearing, new ideas seem to flow. I get some of my best thinking done in the shower.
Additionally, when working on a paper or project, especially on the computer, I’ll often stop to check Facebook or something else of little to no consequence. Even when I haven’t received an update, or the distraction only last for a minute, the switch often reactivates my attention and allows me to finish what I started.
Another exceptional suggestion was to “Define the Right Challenge.” The basic idea being that by defining the issue one tries to solve too hastily, one might miss out on the real problem at hand. I know that, many times, I’ll find myself writing a paper or working on a project, and I’ll realize the point I wound up making strayed drastically from the original thesis. While I often try to connect the two and change my original point, I know that process could be much less of an ordeal if I had simply figured out my true point in the first place.
My last of the three examples, Ditkoff listed as number ten in the article, the ability to “Hang Out With Diverse Groups of People.” By hanging out with the same people every day, we limit the experiences and relationships we can have in our lives. In regards to “breakthrough ideas,” the basic notion is that by diversifying your experiences with others, you diversify your thoughts, and open your mind to a wider variety of possibilities.
In my opinion, this is one of the better ideas suggested, not only for coming up with the next “breakthrough idea,” but also to simply enrich one’s life. I know how much having a diverse cast of individuals has influenced my life for the better and worse. I would not be the same without them.
Prompt:
#10: Hang Out With Diverse Groups of People
I know I listed off this suggestion in my critique, but I honestly think it’s one of the better ones listed, and I know plenty of people in my life that I’d really like to get to know better.
*Amanda Schreckengost: A girl who lived in my dorm last year. We’ve been talking about working out a time when we could meet up to discuss stand-up and some of her jokes. We could potentially meet for lunch sometime in the upcoming week.
*Laura Hyde: Another girl who lived in my dorm last year, Laura and I often talked about political matters as well as the personal. We haven’t done anything in a long while, though. Perhaps I could go to one of her STARS meetings within the month, as she’s the president of the organization
*Carolyn Williamson: A fellow comedian in Athens who I don’t know as well as I should. She seems like a very kind individual. We often mention getting a group of people together to make fun of the awful movie, “The Room.” Later on this month, that can be organized.
*Andrew Kellogg: A very talented new member to the Fridays Live crew. We started working together on the sound-scape project for MDIA 203. We can always get to know each other better through that.
*Max Cothrell: A new comedian in Kamikaze Comedy. Maybe by joking around with him more at our bi-weekly meetings, a better discourse can grow between us.
*Maria Badillo: One of the main two people I wish I had gotten to know better in High School. I could try and develop a better connection and dialogue with her through simple Facebook comments and posts.
*Charlie Hughes: The second person I wish I had gotten to know better in High School. Charlie’s a great guy, and we’re friends for the most part. However, we could keep in contact with each other more regularly. I could see how he’s doing sometime this week.
*Tayler Showalter: An old neighbor from back home who now attends OU. A lunch sometime next week could work, and I could catch up with her in regards to her time at OU.
*Brian Peacock: A very funny, new member of our student stand-up group, Kamikaze Comedy. At the meetings, if he attends, I can try the same methods with him as I would with Max.
*Ryan Zymler: Another member of FL that I simply haven’t gotten to know as well as I should. We usually have fun around each other, so it’d probably be fun if we found some way to hang out in the upcoming weeks.
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