“Think outside the box.” We’ve all heard this phrase, been told to follow its advice, and probably even instructed others to do so. 

However, thinking outside the box is, in all actuality, a myth. It’s one of those things that’s been passed down throughout the years and repeated over and over again but that’s really a misguided idea. In this episode, I’m going to explain why.

Tune in to learn what’s wrong with the phrase, “think outside the box” and what you can do instead to become a more creative person.

In this episode you’ll hear:

1. How Dr. JP Guilford spearheaded the study of creativity.
2. What the nine dots puzzle is.
3. How using this puzzle in a study lead Dr. Guilford to coin the phrase, “think outside the box.”
4. How Clark Burnham and Ken Davis replicated that study and the results they got.
5. What it really means to think outside the box.
6. Why thinking inside the box leads to more creative solutions.

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EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Without even realizing it, you’ve used the creativity technique of division before. In fact, you’ve probably used it many times. When it comes down to it, division is simply taking a big problem, chopping it up, and solving each little individual part of it.

It’s basically the application of the common phrase, “Let’s cut our problems down to size.”

In this episode, I want to get into some of the details of the division technique. I’ll explain some of the deeper complexities of it that you won’t find by just “cutting a problem down to size.” Afterward, you'll be able to use this technique more systematically and improve your creativity skills.

In this episode you’ll hear:

1. How powerful the division technique is.
2. What the division technique is and how to use it.
3. What the preserving approach is.
4. How you can rearrange something through time.
5. Practical examples of the division technique in everyday life.

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EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

How many times have you found yourself fumbling for the best way to describe something? Perhaps you’ve felt that no matter how clearly you’ve explained your subject, your description just doesn’t match the emotions you felt when witnessing it. 

I’m here to tell you that creative writing doesn’t have to be your expertise in order to write compelling descriptions. 

Today’s episode will walk you through a tip I discovered when writing my most recent book. As I was writing, I found it challenging to find interesting, unique ways to describe the subject matter I was writing about. 

Since creative writing is not my strongest skill, I realized I would have to try something a little different.

The strategy I discovered involves creating lists of words grouped by specific domains and matching them together to create new ideas and associations. The best part is that this tip can be used in many different forms of writing and can be easily tailored to your specific writing needs. I will even show you how easily you could use this method to create powerful descriptors right off the cuff for a purpose completely different from my original idea.

Simple, structured tips like this can set you on the path to writing—and thinking-–more creatively. In this episode you’ll hear:

1. How to create creative new descriptors through domain-specific word matching
2. Why random word association isn’t always the best way to generate creativity
3. Suggestions on how to make this technique work for you

Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea

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EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.