June 2012
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| Learn the purpose behind the chart and the Blackberry. |
Ah-Ha! Moment – I can't count the number of times I've noodled on a tough problem for a long time and got nowhere, or almost nowhere. And then, a few days later, a solution just comes to me in what I call an "ah-ha! moment."
I've found you can never FORCE an "ah-ha! moment" – and yet I've also found you can ENABLE an "ah-ha! moment." How? By introducing the problem to the conscious mind, and then being patient as the subconscious mind works the problem in the background.
I knew I'd have time for many insights to bubble to the surface during vacation. So, a few days before leaving, I compiled a list of 17 questions – comprising work, family, and personal items – I wanted to think about. Just writing the questions primed both my conscious and subconscious minds. Sure enough, near the end of vacation, I got up early a few mornings, then quickly and easily jotted down MANY ideas for each question.
Lesson learned? "Be Prepared" includes doing the pre-work to create conditions to generate lots of ideas!
