November 11, 2004

Brainstorming

I usually cringe when i hear the work "brainstorm." It brings to mind a bunch of guys in suits sitting in beanbags getting high off dry-erase marker fumes as they try to think out-of-the-box. Ugh! I thought my lack of enthusiasm for this type of creative thinking was most likely the result of never actually being in a productive meeting where this technique was employed. However, now that i've finished reading Getting Things Done (GTD), i think it was because i didn't understand what it was meant to do.

David Allen points out that brainstorming is not simply something some marketing guru came up with some day, it's simply a part of our brain's natural problem solving system. It serves a particular purpose. When you have an idea of what your ultimate desired outcome is, brainstorming can help you figure out how to get from where you are now to that final goal. It's the brain's way of resolving the cognitive dissonance between the two states. It doesn't work if you're just coming up with ideas with no goal in mind. A clear vision of where you want to get to is a prerequisite to being successful.

The other thing i learned was that brainstorming can be an individual activity. It is still important to write everything down. You can't get very far just sitting and thinking about something. By getting ideas out of your head, you make room for news once and you're not distracted by trying to remember the "good ones." I know i have a problem with this step. I never like to write anything own especially when i know it's probably not a good idea. I don't like to leave a paper trail of crappy thoughts. Nevertheless getting comfortable with getting things down on paper is a big part of the GTD philosophy.

Posted by Matthew at November 11, 2004 10:02 PM
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