How to Think Differently in Business
Everyone wants to think differently in business. But what does that mean? Have you ever heard someone say, “a new day is dawning”? That statement refers to the fact that everyone should be trying to do something or act differently than they did yesterday. They claim it’s because times are changing and there are no more rules. “Everything is different.”
You’re probably thinking about this topic since you’ve experienced it firsthand. Every time someone asks for your help with something, part of your brain starts telling you that everything is different now; traditional methods don’t work anymore; the old axioms are dead; stick a fork in them!
That might not be so accurate though. Many things have changed but many remain the same too.
For example, we still use the same physics and engineering formulas we did fifty years ago. There’s no need to change them because they still work and give accurate results. It’s not like Einstein came up with a new theory. He just changed the way we look at it.
The truth is, you can’t think differently unless you know how to approach the problem from another angle; unless you understand what makes people tick (or as some would say, ticked). You need to be able to see things that nobody else does. That requires something non-trivial – creativity – which takes time and effort even if you have a natural talent for it.
That being said, here are five of thinking differently in business:
1. Practice optimism. It’s easy to get discouraged when you always hear that everything is different now. It’s especially hard when you’re facing problems no one else has solved yet. Remember, the Wright brothers were the only people in America who built and flew their own plane at the time, but they didn’t give up because other people told them it was impossible or said their plane couldn’t fly. They believed it could fly so they kept trying until eventually, it did!
2. Realize there are two sides to every coin. We often think of things as being either this way or that way, right or wrong, black or white. But what if there were more than one answer? What if another side exists to every question? If the answer is always the same, then it’s probably not true. Whenever you’re faced with a problem you can’t solve, don’t just accept it as impossible; look for another way to approach it instead.
3. Know when to stop thinking about something. This sounds crazy because most people say they want an answer until they can’t figure one out! But here’s the truth: sometimes your mind works better with some distance between itself and whatever is bugging you. Get some rest if that helps, but either way, try letting someone else think about how to solve whatever this “impossible” problem is because they might see things in a new light!
4. Look at what everyone else sees too. Sometimes too much information can be the worst thing you can get. You might think it will help but too much information can lead to analysis paralysis, which leads to failure. If you lose your focus and go astray because you’re trying to see everything at once, then stop looking at more information altogether. Go out of your way to simplify things for yourself!
5. Watch how others do things before allowing yourself to act like them too. It’s easy to imitate other people’s actions even if they’re counterproductive. That’s why some companies never innovate; they keep doing the same things over and over again instead of learning from their mistakes or using new ideas (although they’ll call it “keeping an open mind” or something like that). Learn from your peers, but don’t mimic them unless they’re doing something right.
There are many ways to think differently, but they all require you to keep an open mind and refuse to accept what most others say or do. They also require you to be prepared for the consequences that come with thinking differently (which is probably why some people prefer not to do it at all). Just remember that successful people never do things like everyone else; they always try something different if the traditional approach doesn’t work!
That’s it for now. I hope this article helps you think differently about business – let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Everyone wants to think differently in business. But what does that mean? Have you ever heard someone say, “a new day is dawning”? That statement refers to the fact that everyone should be trying to do something or act differently than they did yesterday. They claim it’s because times are changing and there are no…