Sep 14, 2015
Thinking the Opposite is an Extraordinary Way to Get Creative
Originally published at www.lmt-lss.com.
What does it take to solve a problem? Most of us think linearly, like taking a straight road to finding the solutions. Or we follow something that’s already worked before? Hardly do we ever try a different route.
For instance, most of us would never try reading a book starting at the end. As crazy as it may sound, it’s a refreshing approach. What if you discovered a new story by doing that?
Think the Opposite
In an age where every company under the sun is trying to be creative and gain attention, the common way of thinking up ideas and doing business is not going to help in the long run. What’s imperative is to break the clutter. Basically, doing something that no one in the world has ever seen before.
Doing that, however, won’t be a cakewalk because we’re conditioned to approach things linearly. But if you wish to break away from that hardwired process of thinking, you must think the opposite. Meaning, you’ve to stop following the herd, think for yourself, question the norm and do something opposite to that. Think that’s insane?
Well, Dick Fosbury did just that in the 1968 Mexico Olympics.
The Fosbury Flop
Before the 1968 Mexico Olympics, there was only one way of doing a high jump, called the Straddle technique. In that technique, the athletes were supposed to keep their hands straight and chest facing the bar while jumping.
It was the norm that every athlete followed. Until one man decided to think the opposite.
Dick Fosbury decided to jump in reverse to what was considered an efficient high jump technique back then. Instead of having his chest face the bar, he high-jumped with his head first and his back facing the bar.
To everyone’s surprise, that day he broke all records and introduced a revolutionary technique to the world. Today, this technique is the norm in the high jump, called The Fosbury Flop.
When applied to your daily life, this approach can prove to be extremely fruitful. With this little twist in your approach, you can get fresh insights and perspectives, explore new possibilities and as a result, crack better ideas.
Start this today. Eat your burger upside down. Sleep on the other side of your bed. Write your diary from the last page. Go the opposite way and who knows you might just become the next Fosbury.
