🤹♂️ A game for creative thinking
- John J D Munn
- Nov 5, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 8
One of my favourite things about being an entrepreneur (and a consultant!) is thinking of creative solutions to problems. While every business follows the same fundamentals, every business and every entrepreneur is also unique.
Business “gurus” often give advice as though it is the only way you should be doing business - you must do ads, you should never do cold email, you have to work 60 hours per week, etc. The reason they present that kind of advice so confidently is often because they are telling you what worked for them. Unfortunately, that is also the same reason why their advice is unlikely to work for you: you are not them.
Your business is a little different to theirs, your personal goals are different to theirs, your life situation, contacts, relationships, environment, skills, are all different to theirs. What works for them isn’t necessarily going to work for you. You need to have a personalised plan (either via help from consultants like me, or by personalising the more generic advice you hear yourself following years of experience).
You need to correctly identify your root problem and then creatively adapt potential solutions to fit your unique situation.
Unfortunately, even self-proclaimed creatives struggle to think truly creatively. Us mere mortals hardly stand a chance, right?
Many years ago my partner and I started playing (and may have independently invented?) a game between us that has significantly improved our ability to think creatively. It can be played by anybody and anywhere. It may seem silly at first, or unrelated to business, but I promise you that playing this game regularly has helped me find creatively solutions to all sorts of problems and has improved my business immensely.
It takes 20 seconds to explain the rules, below is a video explainer (plus some examples to help you get started).
Find an item (any!). 2. Take it in turns to outline possible uses. 3. Whoever keeps going the longest wins.
When we usually do the exercise (1 min video)
Using the example item given in the video, how many uses can you think of?
1-5 uses: Aspiring Innovator. Great job on getting started! Keep practicing to develop your creative edge.
6-10 uses: Idea Scout. Great progress! You're identifying new angles and showing early entrepreneurial flair.
11-15 uses: Resourceful Strategist. Solid skills! You’re coming up with clever ideas that could benefit any business.
16-20 uses: Opportunity Architect. Impressive! You’re spotting inventive solutions and seeing opportunity where others may not.
21-30 uses: Disruptor. Exceptional creativity! You think like a true disruptor, challenging norms and seeing untapped potential.
31+ uses: Visionary Leader. Unparalleled creativity! You’re in the league of entrepreneurs who redefine markets and inspire new directions.
Some example uses given at the bottom of this email.
💡 Quote I'm pondering
"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones" – John Maynard Keynes
We all have preconceived notions, prejudices.
The three most common ones I see are: assuming a lead or client can’t pay, assuming that because a lead already has a supplier that they won’t work with you, and assuming things have to be done a certain way.
Whether it is part of a creative thinking game, a business, or life in general, often one of the hardest things we must do is to escape our prejudices.
To see a person (including ourselves) or a thing not for what it is, but for what it can be.
I shared this in my Work Smart Wednesday newsletter. Want the full set of related insights? You can read them here: https://worksmartwednesday.substack.com/p/work-smart-wednesday-november-6-2024
👋 Want to work together?
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Other answers we got for the creativity game
A mathematical teaching tool to demonstrate the symbol for pi, an ancient Egyptian style makeup applicator, a tool for sexual gratification, a toy gun, a window breaker, a place to hide things (unscrew the cap), a comedy prop, pressure tester, counterweight, carnival strength challenge, metronome, dog toy, massage aid, conversation starter, spare parts (the spring), foot strengthener, coordination trainer, handshake trainer, plant stake, clothes peg, and others.
How many of these did you get?
What other uses did you come up with? Let me know in the comments below.
I will give whoever comes up with the most creative use (decided by me) their choice of one of 3 special prizes.
