Page 117 - Free the Idea Monkey

The creative brain has natural cycles

too. Start by tracking when you think gho“maoAddlwill—kchitdiahGinlemreegaanersIatewtWIacooaeollosvmywde.er”
the best. What time of day is it? What
time of the month? What activities were
you doing when you had the big idea?
Learn to save your toughest challenges
for the times when your brain is at peak
performance.

The moment you check your e-mail,

voice mail or to-do list, you have hijacked your imagination. You

have created a mental traffic jam. Do yourself a favor and schedule

daydreaming. Unplug during the time that

you know you do your best thinking and find

a place that makes you feel energized. A lot

of people love the local coffee shop. The buzz

of conversation, the smells, colors and energy create a safe haven for

the mind to wander. Some prefer the library or the park. Whichever

it is, go there. Let your mind take off.

5. Yuck it up! Laughing is another

great way to liberate your brain. Often, con-

sciously doing silly-seeming things will get

the creative juices flowing. Spin a top. Get an

ice cream cone.

As you test these five techniques, you’ll

find some work better than others. If it turns

out you really do get your best ideas in the shower, be conscious of

the circumstances under which they occurred. What was the water

temperature like? How long had you been in there? What time was it?

Replicate the experience—daily. You’ll find the effort worthwhile.

“The bottom line is that gifted performers are almost always

made, not born, and that the journey to superior performance is for

neither the faint of heart nor the impatient,” says Rand Stagen, senior

partner of Stagen, a leadership consulting firm that specializes in

helping mid-market companies scale. “Just as in sports, becoming

an elite performer in business requires struggle, sacrifice and honest

102 H O W T O P R O D U C E B I G I D E A S O N D E M A N D