Fuel Your Brain for Maximum Creativity

Today we are going to talk about ways to fuel your brain for maximum creativity.

We all know that stimulus fuels the brain, setting off a chain reaction of idea associations and creations that will bring new thoughts and ideas to life.

Sometimes when looking at a challenge we need a reminder about ways we can help ourselves think differently about a business or personal challenge:

1. Read Related and Unrelated News:

Look up 10 different magazines, books or newsletters online, at the library, or go to a  bookstore. Make it a mix of trade and pop culture magazines. Read through them for sparks – what trends doyou see? What is another industry doing differently? A few of the IE team’s favorite newsletters for sparks are The Non-Obvious Insights Newsletter, Trend Reports from Trendhunter, and The Hustle.

2. Be Your Own Customer:

Feel your current or potential customer’s pain. Start the journey from the bottom up – where dothey find you – go there and follow the path to becoming a customer. Use your current customer service options to ask questions, make a purchase, or schedule a sales call to learn more.

3. Use Your Own Product:

Literally, take your product home. and use it (or have it shipped to you) – if it is food cook with it – think about how you would eat it and if you wouldn’t eat it why wouldn’t you eat it? If it’s equipment go out and sit on it or work with it. Use your online system for applying for a new checking account, sign up for a subscription, or to make a donation to your non-profit. What is easy to do, and what is more difficult?

4. EUREKA! TRIZ®

Our favorite problem-solving tool keeps getting better. Greg Lemmon (statistician) and Faryal Ali (intern) innovated both the input process and the stimulus this summer.  When you have a problem that feels impossible or you just don’t want the same old solutions, leverage Eureka! Triz to spark unique solutions.

Below Greg demonstrates how quickly it is to get stimulus for your challenge.

5. Exercise:

Take a walk, go for a run, or a hike. Try a yoga, exercise, or dance class. Medical literature shows that exercise has a direct impact on your ability to think smarter and more creatively.