The Probable vs. the Possible.

Over drinks the other evening our friend of 30+ years Robert Petrick returned to me the device pictured, right.

At the time I was directly responsible for a staff of 20+ and indirectly another 30. I said the device was designed to stimulate creativity in individuals who were stumped on a particular assignment. The premise was, by starting on the outside of the wheel, examining the words/ideas with each turn, at each level, solutions would present themselves. This was, of course, bull-shirt.

As young children, almost everyone is creative by nature, free of preconceived judgments, assumptions based on experience and the lethargy that comes from second guessing ones self. The most productive way to reconnect with that kind of innocence and to basically get out of your own way is to engage your mind with anything other than the task to be accomplished.

The more energy is consumed to do that, the sooner the burdens of responsibility, obligation and self awareness will move to the background permitting possibilities, unanticipated connections and opportunities to REALLY present themselves. Creativity has never been about the probable but rather almost always the possible.