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“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.”
― Henry Ford
In today’s podcast I wanted to talk about the thinking differently. All too often and I’m going to say myself included that we can get stuck in one way of thinking and we box ourselves in. This is why it’s so important when you hear the phrase think out-of-the-box that you’re trying to gain a perspective from many different angles and that you’re challenging assumptions that you have to ensure that you got the whole picture. If you’re like me you can be a high visionary thinker and also have the capacity to pay attention to the details. What we need to be cautious of is not to get hung up on the details.
“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
― Albert Einstein
When you feel stuck, you could be getting in your own way of getting to the end result that you truly want.
Thinking differently applies to everyone. No matter if your parent, leader, project manager, middle management to senior management or business owner, we all have times when we need to push out of the comfort zone. When you stretch your thinking and start thinking differently, you allow for creativity to blossom and the birth of innovation to begin. Many great ideas have transformed the boundaries of technology just think of Microsoft and Apple as examples. The companies and organizations that think differently are on the leading edge and have a competitive advantage.
There are some leaders or managers who get concerned that when they open the doors of creativity and innovation that there’ll be no structure or rules in place. This is where I believe people give away their power. Choosing to think differently does not mean you can’t have a structure or that you can’t have rules. There can be boundaries and there can be deal breakers. What is most important is that these rules or boundaries be communicated and be open to being challenged on them.
People who think differently are driven and sparked by their curiosity and they allow it to guide them to their destination. They are willing to disrupt their own personal habits to focus on one thing. They know the power of asking questions and they asked more than they tell. One thing is for certain what sets them apart is that they value experiences over things. We are not linear thinkers we have ideas coming forth all the time and it’s what we pay attention to that we truly notice.
I personally have considered myself a person who thinks differently. I see possibility and opportunity where people told me there would be none. My first exposure to the entrepreneurial mindset or world per se was through an e-
Women network luncheon. I was so excited to be there and listened intensively to what people were talking about and the actions they were taking. I thought it was cool that you could be your own boss and create something for your own. The difference to me was that you could take that creativity and be the solution.
The biggest thing that I noticed was that any of the challenges that were shared were seen as an opportunity. I have an investigator character so this intrigued me. I know there’s always a way that we can figure something out because others have been there before. The more and more I listened the more I saw this way of thinking similar to putting together a puzzle. I heard people speaking of abundance and not falling into a comparison trap for they were choosing to learn from their competitors and not compete. There are so many people in the world and not just one can serve them. I also took notice that complacency is the enemy and hard work is necessary. It’s not that people don’t work hard when you’re in a job but when you’re working for yourself you will work even harder. You take pride in your own efforts to get the results you desire and envision.
There are several ways you can expand your thinking and start thinking out-of-the-box:
- start asking more questions
- be open to working in diversity and learning from others
- take up a new physical activity for the next 30 days
- change a habit that you been working on for the next 21 days
- read books or watch movies of different genres
- take a different route home
- travel to new places
- join a Mastermind group or an association where you can be a part of collaborative thinking and learn from others
- take a risk in making a decision after you have done your due diligence
As you shake up your routines, you begin to think differently. You expand your thinking and you realize that not everyone sees the world as you do. We learn that being judgmental does not serve us. Be open to new possibilities and think about implications and impact to dig deeper and expand your knowledge. Make a list of the questions that you want to know and then start asking them. Chances are others may have the same question as you- have the courage to ask knowing that the solution may be the key you been looking for.
We would love to have you subscribed to the Success Secrets newsletter on my website at www.debrakasowski.com where you’re going to get us free MP3 download 10 Surefire Strategies to Power Up Your Productivity and Performance. I would love to hear about this podcast has impacted your life. E-mail me at Debra@DebraKasowski.com. Thank you for listening to The Millionaire Woman Show where we talk about leadership, business, and human potential to help you live rich from the inside out. Subscribe to The Millionaire Woman Show. Share it with Your Friends. Give us a 5-star rating!
DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com
Time: 08:29 min
Keywords: mind mapping, stretch your thinking, think outside the box, expand your thinking, thinking, think differently, think different, thinking in new ways, gaining new perspective
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