In today’s busy and confusing world, we are all faced with numerous decisions. Many of these deal with the unknown and creating new rules and methods. It can be daunting making so many decisions with the results being hard to track.
In my consulting business, I deal with a lot of decisions and plans that are creative and have to be made with little information. I pull together as much data and research as possible, but in the emerging digital content market and the disruptive publishing business, the plans and the results are elusive. Plus, the physical book world is changing so often that plans and decisions are must be made without full information.
When faced with so many decisions on complicated matters, I find it can be helpful to go in the opposite direction and look for inspiration in something very simple.
Simple tasks can open up the mind to solving complicated problems.
The other day I was having a difficult time coming up with a proposal for a potential client. I had the basics and knew where I was starting and where I wanted to end. But the difficulty was coming up with a plan to connect the two. The harder I thought, the less I was coming up with ideas.
I decided to take a break and just do something completely different.
I went out to the patio.
I weeded.
I came up with a solution.
Some times is it best to not try as hard – and the solution will come to you.
BEFORE
AFTER
Clear patio – clear mind – clear thinking – problem solved.
