Brainstorming Solutions

Lifestyle Design Collective
May 05, 2023

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Lifestyle Design Collective

Brainstorming Solutions 🧠

Last week, we discussed defining problems you want to solve in your life and how to go about doing so with some helpful techniques.

Let’s now discuss brainstorming solutions to those defined problems to encourage wild and crazy ideas without judgment.

In the early stages of the brainstorming process, it's essential to generate a wide range of ideas without filtering or dismissing them too quickly. Often, the most innovative and effective solutions come from ideas that seem too far-fetched or unconventional at first glance.

To encourage wild and crazy ideas, create a safe space in your mind to express yourself without fear of self criticism. Set ground rules that encourage out of the box thinking, such as "no idea is a bad idea."

Use techniques like mind mapping, brainwriting, or random stimulus to spark creative thinking.

Once you have a large pool of ideas, you can then evaluate them based on their feasibility, impact, and alignment with your goals. Remember, the goal of brainstorming is to generate a wide range of ideas and explore possibilities, not to decide on a final solution.

Let’s dive a little deeper into some of these brainstorming techniques:

Mind mapping: A mind map is a visual brainstorming tool that helps you organize and explore your ideas. Start by writing your problem or goal in the center of a piece of paper or whiteboard. Then, branch out with related ideas, sub-ideas, and possible solutions. Use color coding, images, and symbols to make the mind map more visually engaging and memorable.
Random stimulus: Use a random word or image to stimulate your creative thinking. Choose a word or image at random, then use it as a starting point for generating ideas. For example, if your goal is to improve your fitness, a random stimulus like "tiger" could inspire ideas like "run like a tiger," "train like a tiger," or "join a gym with a tiger logo."
Reverse brainstorming: Reverse brainstorming is a technique that helps you generate creative solutions by identifying the opposite of your problem or goal. Instead of asking "How can I achieve my goal?" ask "How can I prevent myself from achieving my goal?" This can help you identify obstacles and challenges that you may not have considered before.
Brainwriting: Brainwriting is a collaborative brainstorming technique that involves writing down ideas on a piece of paper, then passing the paper to someone else who adds their own ideas. This can be done in person or online. Set a time limit for each round, and encourage participants to build on each other's ideas.
SCAMPER: SCAMPER is an acronym for a set of prompts that can help you generate creative solutions. Each letter stands for a different prompt: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate, and Reverse. For example, you could ask yourself, "How can I substitute one element of my problem with

By involving a range of perspectives and ideas in the brainstorming process, you can solve problems and achieve goals in your personal life with greater creativity, effectiveness, and impact.

You are always just one solution away from changing your life. Treat your ideas with respect and give them the attention they deserve. You never know what answers you hold, that you never even realized were there.

Our free e-Book will give you a detailed blueprint on how to implement the design thinking process into your own life. Check it out here