Thinking Primer 14

1. Balance input (get plenty of quality, diverse and challenging ideas) with output (allow reflection, incubation and down time for your own ideas to formulate).
2. Learn when you think at your best. 'Under pressure' and 'total freedom' are oft quoted but even these have their limit. Try different locations and times of day.
3. Practise critical thinking: pull an idea apart to its core.
4. Practise reflective thinking: allow an idea to be for 24h. Now what do you think?
5. Practise intelligent thinking: hold two opposing ideas in your head at the same time without judgement of either.
6. Practise mature thinking: leave an idea a week or two and come back to it with fresh perspective.
7. Practise creative thinking: turn an idea on its head. A restaurant with no menu?
8. Practise precision thinking: who, what, how, where, when, who...?
9. Practise human thinking: making choices.
10. Boost your thinking by using a different medium: just pen and paper or a whiteboard. Or express as a picture.
11. Boost your thinking by putting aside limiting beliefs of what you are and are not capable of.
12. Boost your thinking by talking to those from a very different field or firm.
13. Keep a notebook of ideas.
14. Read about Leonardo da Vinci. Fly soon to Firenze and visit his home town and former home. Be inspired.