Mind Performance Hacks

Hack #32. Go Backward to Be More Inventive Going Forward

Review the steps that led to a new idea, and maybe you can do even better next time.

When you next have an idea that solves a problem or that you are pleased with for some other reason, take the time to review the process by which you got there. Doing so can help you refine the idea, and it also helps you to have more good ideas in the future.

In Action

One approach is to look at the emotions around idea formation. Try this out the next time you have one of those "Aha!" moments, while the emotions around the discovery are still new. Notice the emotions around the discovery. You might have both positive ones and negative ones. Both are part of your normal discovery process. Use the positive emotions to reward your mind for the connections it has just made. It might feel strange, but do it anyway. This in itself might lead to clarifying related ideas that were just below the surface.

The negative feelings might have been expressed in thoughts like, "I should have seen that sooner." Instead of doing nothing with that feeling, treat it as something useful: a spur to return to what you were thinking just before the idea struck and, if possible, how you felt just before you made the connection. It's important to do this right when you have the idea, while the context of the idea is fresh in your mind and easier to go back to.

If this works for you, the pre-idea thoughts might not be entirely logical; in fact, they can be images or feelings, ...