the challenge
Today we are playing with a ReShape Seed, which means we will use a visual trigger for exploration instead of a textual one.
What discoveries are ahead? Let’s play and see.
my insight
I have to admit that I didn’t think much about the Seed. At some point during the day, I might have buried it somewhere in my subconscious — which is one of the best ways to gain creative insights, by the way. And then I saw this in front of me.
OK, so I didn’t really see that. What I saw was a lamp hanging from the ceiling in a restaurant I want eating in. It didn’t take much effort to turn it upside down in my mind (and later as a photograph) and see how it fits perfectly to the Seed. It’s not even an association — it is a real-world adaptation of the drawing on the Seed.
reflection
“Standing on your head” metaphorically is one of the simplest ways to practice changing of perspective. Looking for things that get a new meaning when they are upside down, as simple as it might sound, can be an eye-opening experience.
Changing perspective is a core capability in creativity. It’s a great way to see things differently and apply them to a new and surprising context— just like the lamp that turned effortlessly into a balloon.
“This is so naïve,” you might think, but take this experience and try to apply it to a project you are working on or a problem you are trying to solve: just turn it upside down metaphorically and see what happens. Take notes of any idea this might spark even if it appears to be far from being useful or feasible. In the worst case, you’ll spend a few minutes playing an open mind game and practice your creative muscle. But there’s always a chance a real surprising idea might pop up.
mental notes
- Turn things (even the problems you are trying to solve) upside down to allow new ideas to float.
now it is your turn… be creative!