Positive Talk
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
By
Jan 22, 2009 - 11:17:24 AM

Someone once said, “If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always gotten.” That, in fact, was true for much of human history, but in today’s fast-paced world where change rules, it is no longer true. We cannot continue to do what we have always done and expect to keep up with those around us. We must be willing to adapt to the ever-changing scene and look for new ways to do almost everything.

We must question our every action and association to see that it is serving us well. We must learn about asking questions, as Kipling suggests in these lines from The Elephant’s Child if we hope to increase our knowledge and our effectiveness;
I have six honest serving men, they taught me all I knew. Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who. I send them over land and sea, I send them east and west……

Kipling’s, What,Why ,When and How,Where and Who are a good start. Here are some ways to use them and some more questions you can ask when you find yourself at a decision-making point in your life—which, by the way, is all the time every day. Use these questions for either personal or business-related, creative decision-making.

•  If there were no money or time limitations, what would I do?
•  How could I make this more fun?
•  If there was no time to do it over, how would I do it?
•  How many ways can the mission be achieved?
•  If I was not afraid to fail, how would I do it?
•  Is this problem a stone or a diamond? If a diamond, how can it best be polished? If a stone, what can I build from it?
•  Have I eliminated all false limits?
•  How else can the problem/opportunity be defined?
•  Does this action have to be undertaken at all?
•  Am I the right person to tackle this situation?
•  Who could I ask to help me?
•  How has it always been done? Why?
•  What would it take to improve the quality of the operation?
•  Where can the job best be done?
•  When is the best time to do it?
•  Why is this job necessary and what are the optimum results?
The last six are a direct use of Kipling’s serving men. Make them serve you also and be creative.



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