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One Sheet

Scrap Paper

Photo courtesy of Sebastian.

What could one sheet of paper mean to you?

I was thinking about how many ideas, dreams, goals, and fortunes have begun on a single sheet of paper.  To some it is an inconvenience in our digital world and to others it is a one cent item that just really doesn’t get much thought.  But, what if you used just the one sheet to start a personal movement?

The movement might be personal change, the start of a financial goal, or the next big idea that shapes a culture.  Next time you see a piece of paper right something down.  You never know what it could be the start of.

What was an accomplishment that you achieved that began with a single idea on a piece of paper?

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Sometimes You Have to Think of the Box

The Candle ProblemOften times when we are trying to problem solve we are working so hard we don’t see the solution in front of our face. We are told to think outside the box but sometimes you need to look at the box itself. The container may just have the solution you are seeking.

In 1945 “The Candle Problem” was published.  It was created some time before that by psychologist Karl Duncker.  The premise of the problem you can see in the picture to the left.  Participants were given a book of matches, a small candle, and a box of tacks.  They had to find a way with these materials to put the candle on the wall and light it but the candle could not get wax on the surface below it.

Sometimes you just have to think of the box.

The video below is from Dan Pink where he discusses motivation and the candle problem in detail.

 

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Start a Movement

The brief video below is one of my favorites.  Don’t be afraid to be first regardless of how you might be judged.  The person who goes first becomes the leader and a leader can start a movement.

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Write to Your Current Self

letter to self

Photo courtesy of Torley.

I am sure you have an idea of what you want to achieve in the next 10 or 15 years.  It may be vague or exact but we all have some place we want to be.  Some want to be married with kids, others want to have a million dollars, and others dream of living on the beach enjoying their retirement.

Whatever it is you want to have or do in the future, write to your current self like you are sending the letter back through time.  Write like you have already achieved the goal and how much you are enjoying it.  Put this letter somewhere that you can find it later and see how accurate your future self was when the time comes along.

What is the one big thing you would like to accomplish in the next decade beyond anything else?

 

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Alive In Your Mind

Main Street USA

Main Street USA at Magic Kingdom

Why do some people make changes in their lives while others don’t? One of the key reasons is those that change can see the change in their mind before it happens.  If there is something you want you have to see that you already have it in your imagination.

Want to own a restaurant?  See it in your mind so vividly that you can see the menu and smell the food.  See the layout of your place and the guests sitting in at their table enjoying their food.  Revisit this in your mind over and over to where it becomes so real for you that you.  When you do this opportunities show up and when you grab them your dreams become realities.

One of the most notable imaginations of the 1900s was Walt Disney.  In the book “How to Be Like Walt” Pat Williams says this on page 84:

Though Walt envisioned Walt Disney World in Florida, he died before it was built.  On opening day in 1971, almost five years after his death, someone commented to Mike Vance, creative director of Walt Disney Studios,”Isn’t it to bad Walt Disney didn’t live to see this?”

“He did see it,” Vance replied simply.  “That’s why it’s here.”

See yourself where you want to be and take the journey as life allows you.  It may take some time but you can get there.

 

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Anything Is Possible

Astronaut In Space

About The Picture: Astronaut Bruce McCandless II, mission specialist, participates in an extravehicular activity a few meters away from the cabin of the shuttle Challenger during the STS-41B mission. (April 1983)

So many of us have creative ideas but few go to the “trouble” of finishing out a project or even starting it. I ran across an article on Yahoo News (link) the other day of two high school seniors who wanted to send a balloon and camera in to space. The two of them designed and launched a weather balloon, complete with the first Lego Man in space, and tracked the balloon with GPS once it fell back to earth. They did this for under $400.00!!!!

If someone handed you $400.00 and told you to do something creative what would you do?  What if they handed you $25?  The possibilities are endless but it all comes down to what would you do?

Checkout the video of the Lego Man going in to space. I would have liked to have seen the complete decent but this is amazing what these two teenagers were able to accomplish on such a small budget:


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Stay Creative

CreativityEver felt like you have no creativity?

Everyone can create and imagine.  You just have to realize you can.  Sometimes ideas come to you in the spur of the moment.  Sometimes they are there when you wake up from a dream.  Other times you will need to search for the creative solution.

The following video was made by TO-FU and has 29 was to keep up your creativity. I think if you do #26 for a couple of weeks you will realize you are more creative than you think.

Creativity image courtesy of Sean MacEntee.