Exercise Your Creative Business Brain

During a recent workshop, I was asked how to develop the creative part of your mind when it comes to business.

Any time you want to develop a new product or service; Any time you want to create a new marketing effort; Anytime you run into a challenge that has no obvious solution; you will need your creative abilities to shine. For some, it comes naturally. For others it is difficult.

If you are one of the people that seem to have difficulty tapping into your creative thoughts, here is an exercise that can help. (Before you start, remember that you must allow your brain to function freely as you do this. Do not judge your own thoughts. Don't worry if you get "off topic", let your brain go in whatever direction it wants. You never know where it will take you. Likely, it will take you exactly where you need to go, just not by the route you anticipated)

Select a random object from the room you are in.

Grab a recording device.

Sit somewhere comfortable and just let your mind go.

Say everything that you think out loud so that you can have a record of it on tape.

Do not judge your thoughts or try to pull them a certain way, just let them develop naturally.

You will be amazed at what you learn.

It may go something like this. "Pencil ... I write with it ... I doodle with it ... this pencil is kind of dull ... I wonder where my sharpener is ... I like the smell of pencil shavings ... it reminds me of being in school with those wall mounted sharpeners ... I remember when Jim and I broke the one in Mrs. Drizzle's class and he blamed it on the class hamster ... I wonder what Jim is up to now ... Maybe he is on Facebook ... I should get back in touch".

You never know what thoughts will come to you and what actions they will inspire. Those actions could be life changing in the end. Maybe Jim is now an angel investor who will want to invest in your company!

Remember, the whole point of this exercise is to get you feeling comfortable with allowing your brain to run its natural course with thoughts. Once you can do this freely with random objects, you can bring that same technique into your business.You may set before you a picture of an employee, a product that needs improvement or a service that needs to be marketed. If you have become comfortable with your creative side, you will be able to run with thoughts on those topics as well. Letting your mind run wherever it wants and eventually bringing you through thoughts that will lead to a solution.

If obvious answers just aren't there and you are having trouble coming up with creative solutions, try this exercise. Build your imaginative muscle and become comfortable letting it work. I guarantee you will be impressed by the results.

Many of our workshops are geared toward developing your creative skills in business. Click here for a list of dates and topics.