Brainstorming Potential Solutions
A heuristic for generating a wide range of solutions by letting imagination run free and seeking outside input, especially when stuck in a depressed mood.
THE IDEA
2. Brainstorm a List of Potential Solutions
Let your imagination run wild. Put aside half an hour to make a list of every solution you can think of. Don’t worry if they seem strange or unlikely. You don’t have to show this list to anyone.
Get some outside input. Ask a couple of people you trust to help brainstorm with you. They will probably come up with some ideas you haven’t thought of. When you are stuck in a depressed mood, your problem-solving abilities take a hit. It’s easy to become locked into a single perspective.
If you have a serious problem, or you can’t rely on anyone close to you to help out, get some advice from a specialist. Depending on your problem, this person could be a counselor, a helpline volunteer, or a religious leader at your place of worship.
When to use it
When facing a complex decision at work with multiple stakeholders.
When struggling with a personal issue like conflict in a relationship.
When experiencing writer's block or creative stagnation.
When you feel overwhelmed by a problem and need to break out of a fixed mindset.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Work Project Stuck
You are leading a team project that has hit a roadblock. Set aside 30 minutes with your team to brainstorm every possible solution, no matter how wild. Invite a colleague from another department for a fresh perspective. One idea from that session leads to a breakthrough.
Personal Financial Trouble
You are overwhelmed by debt and feel trapped. List all possible ways to increase income or reduce expenses, including options you previously dismissed as unrealistic, such as side gigs or negotiating with creditors. Share the list with a trusted friend who suggests a resource you hadn't considered.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
What assumptions have you made that limit your list of possible solutions?
Who in your life could offer a fresh perspective on your problem?
If you had no constraints, what would be your ideal solution?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Thinking in Systems and Mental Models Think Like a Super Thinker (Dawson, Marcus P)