So the design project I just mentioned isn't working out the way I had planned or expected, and I was getting frustrated and stressed. But then I took a step back, looked at the problem from a different angle, opened my mind and all of a sudden things are looking a lot better.
I set deadlines for myself in my mind; restrictions that limit my freedom, time and creativity, and I've realized that those restrictions are unnecessary, bad and actually self-imposed.
What keeps everyone from being creative, from reaching into the depths of their minds to pull out something unique and unusual? Mind blocks? I personally believe that mind blocks are limits placed upon our minds that we put there ourselves. When our traditional thought path is "blocked," we are usually frustrated and discouraged. Often times it's easy to give up and label the situation as a dead end and end up compromising. But perhaps those "blocks" aren't a bad thing. Problems cause us to think in different ways than we were before and maybe help inspire us to create greater solutions. Creativity, man -- it's important.
Until 1968 it was traditional and customary for high jumpers to cross the bar with their bodies parallel to it. This technique was called the Western Roll. A little-known athlete by the name of Dick Fosbury changed that in the 1968 Mexico Olympics. The world record at the time was 5 feet 8 inches. Approaching the bar, he ran towards it and took off, but instead of turning his body towards the bar like all of his other competitors, he turned his back to it, bringing his legs up and flipping over the bar. He jumped higher than any man ever before (7'8") by breaking the tradition and thinking opposite from everyone else. This technique, the Fosbury Flop, is still used today. Here's an example of a man who was faced with a problem, looked at it in a different way and found something incredible. Creativity, man -- it's important.
I think everyone has limitless thought potential -- literally infinite mental capacity. If only we would stop restricting ourselves and allow the incredible to be found. Your mind is like a parachute, it works best when it's opened.
So do things look like they're going down? Stand on your head.
ʎpɐǝɹlɐ dn ƃuıʞool ǝɹɐ sƃuıɥʇ
such a good post. love it. i agree, we put mental blocks on ourselves. happens to me all the time, but taking a step back like you said always helps you get a new perspective. the possibilities are literally endless.
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