Brainstorming is Loads of Fun!
Simple, fun and effective, you can brainstorm alone or with a group.
1) State your question. It can be about any decision you want to make. For instance, "How can I solve the problem of...?"
2) Pop out as many ideas as possible, as fast as you can. Include any and all weird ones. Remember, most new ideas sound ridiculous at first. Write down every idea as it comes.
3) No criticism or comment about any of the ideas is allowed. Being critical inhibits the imagination and crushes creative thinking. The goal here is to quiet your inner critic when it sneers, "That won't work," or "What a silly idea," or "That's already been done." The point is to postpone judgment in order to let ideas flow freely.
4) Generate as many ideas as possible.
5) When you've exhausted all possible ideas, sit back and look them over. Take some time to turn them around, combine, adapt, rearrange and play with them. Even the silly ones will contain the germ of a good idea. Have fun with the process. Laugh and play with it; humor triggers creativity.
6) Choose the best ideas to make your decision.
The benefits of brainstorming are enormous. Use it in your work or in your personal life. You'll find it not only helps you to live, think and work more effectively, as well as make better, smarter decisions, but it is also just plain fun!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
I've been thinking about strength...
To be in their Midst is to Touch an Aspect of the Eternal
On a recent visit to Santa Cruz, California, I was walking the Redwood Grove Nature Trail at the spectacular Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The redwoods along this 0.8 mile trail are as large and as beautiful as any along the California coast.
The trail guide was full of interesting facts about these amazing trees. I learned that the scientific name for the Coast Redwood is Sequoia sempervirens. Sempervirens means ever-living because these trees have amazing survival adaptions which make them seem eternal.
In addition to being the world's tallest trees, often reaching 300 feet, they repel fire and disease. Most fires cannot penetrate redwood bark which is 7 to 12 inches thick, fibrous and heat resistant. Even if an intense fire burns through the bark and eventually hollows out the tree, the tree will continue to live and slowly heal the fire scar if sufficient living tissue remains undamaged.
A common sight in the Coast Redwood forest are large numbers of circular groups of trees called cathedrals. The trail guide explained that a redwood can sprout new trees from its roots on all sides. It is the only conifer or cone bearing tree to do so. These young trees eventually mature encircling the parent tree.
I learned that as the roots of the cathedral trees mature, they spread out, mingle and fuse together, which helps them to withstand strong winds. I couldn't help but think about the incredible picture of strength that emerges as these trees intertwine and grow together!
Nature once again provides a living illustration of Ecclesiastes chapter 4, verses 10-12, which says, Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him - a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
The Coast Redwoods are a powerful reminder that it is wise to STAND together and BAND together. Even when strong winds blow, there is safety in numbers!
On a recent visit to Santa Cruz, California, I was walking the Redwood Grove Nature Trail at the spectacular Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The redwoods along this 0.8 mile trail are as large and as beautiful as any along the California coast.
The trail guide was full of interesting facts about these amazing trees. I learned that the scientific name for the Coast Redwood is Sequoia sempervirens. Sempervirens means ever-living because these trees have amazing survival adaptions which make them seem eternal.
In addition to being the world's tallest trees, often reaching 300 feet, they repel fire and disease. Most fires cannot penetrate redwood bark which is 7 to 12 inches thick, fibrous and heat resistant. Even if an intense fire burns through the bark and eventually hollows out the tree, the tree will continue to live and slowly heal the fire scar if sufficient living tissue remains undamaged.
A common sight in the Coast Redwood forest are large numbers of circular groups of trees called cathedrals. The trail guide explained that a redwood can sprout new trees from its roots on all sides. It is the only conifer or cone bearing tree to do so. These young trees eventually mature encircling the parent tree.
I learned that as the roots of the cathedral trees mature, they spread out, mingle and fuse together, which helps them to withstand strong winds. I couldn't help but think about the incredible picture of strength that emerges as these trees intertwine and grow together!
Nature once again provides a living illustration of Ecclesiastes chapter 4, verses 10-12, which says, Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him - a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
The Coast Redwoods are a powerful reminder that it is wise to STAND together and BAND together. Even when strong winds blow, there is safety in numbers!
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