Ideas! Ideas! Ideas! by Jim Risser

Brainstorming and mind maps are tools used to generate ideas on your own or in a group. With these tools we want to think of anything and everything. No idea is too ridiculous since it might trigger a genius idea.

I found mind mapping to be helpful at times. I learned mind mapping when I started to get serious about college. I realized that I needed to learn how to learn.  So I did research about how to study. Mind mapping links bubbles of ideas together like a spiderweb.

Mostly I just brainstorm on the computer, making an outlined list. I like outlining because of its simple, ordered format.  In Word it's easy to tab to add sub-thoughts, related ideas, and references. It's almost like mind mapping in the sense that you are linking ideas.

Recent research on brainstorming found that more ideas were generated when participants brainstormed on their own and shared their ideas later. So it's up to you to come up with ideas. You have to come up with your own system for creating ideas and solutions.

Brainstorming is like the worldwide web - you don't know where you'll end up. You start a search for "homes" and an hour later you're reading about the meaning of colors. Just like the "worldwide" web, there are no borders in brainstorming. Let the ideas flow from you. Free associate. No idea is a bad idea.

Be open minded to the radical, impractical, and crazy. How many impassible ideas have been become reality. You never know. Look at geniuses who have succeeded when others called them nuts. Suspend judgement and just write that idea down. You will judge your ideas in the next step. This is the time to have fun and go wild.

Sometimes I'll  sketch out ideas with paper and pen. Or I'll make a computer graphic. Some problems demand that we draw plans, create pictures, or make models. I've always admired the work of model railroaders. I love the detail and realism of their modeling.

How you come up with ideas is up to you. Some people already have their own systems to generate ideas. Those who need a system should try brainstorming, mind mapping, and anything else that could help.  But ultimately it's your own system.

Remember the "E" in DICTATE is for Enjoy. Generating ideas is a chance to enjoy the problem solving process.

Have fun!

Next: It's Time To Choose

DICTATE - Problem Solving Tool by Jim Risser

To win at anything you need certain skills and tools. In baseball one needs catching and throwing skills and the tools of the trade: gloves, balls, bats, etc.  In life it's no different, we need certain skills and tools.

Life, of course, is full of problems,  We can't get away from problems in our lives.  From the time we wake up in the morning we encounter problems: What to wear, what to eat, what to watch on TV.  These may not seem like problems, but the process of deciding where to go on vacation is the same as solving a life-changing problem:

1. We define the problem (e.g., Which movie to watch).  
2. We get ideas (e.g., Read the movie listings). 
3. We choose (e.g., We choose which movie to see). 
4. We try our choice (e.g., We see the movie).  
5. We analyze (e.g., Did we like the movie?). 
6. If our analysis is negative, we try another idea (e.g., We don't like the movie so we see another movie).

Above is a simple tool for solving problems.  We've used this tool thousand of times without ever giving it a thought, without being aware that we were using it, it's second nature to us.

I've developed a problem solving tool that you can use to solve any problem in your life. The tool goes by the acronym of  DICTATE:

• D - Define the problem.
•  I - Ideas, generate lots of solution ideas.
• C - Choose a solution.
• T - Try the solution.
• A - Analyze results, did the solution work?
• T - Try another idea if the solution didn't work.
• E - Enjoy; life is full of problems so you might as well enjoy them!  Life, give me more!

"Life, give me more!" is the attitude that I want you to have when facing problems. Confront problems head on and without fear.  You are in control.  You dictate how problems affect your life.

Next: Defining the Problem

Life, give me more! by Jim Risser

"Life, give me more!"

That's my motto; "Life, give me more!"

"More what?" you might ask.  More of life, of course.  More of it's ups and downs.  More of the problems, heartache, and hardship.  More of the joys, elations, and good times.  More life.

I was in my early twenties when I first developed this motto.  There was an incident where my heart was broken and I suffered greatly.  I don't remember the details, but the heartache was long remembered.  Somewhere in that experience I had an epiphany: I was always going to encounter heartache and problems in my life; I could either let problems beat me or I could change my attitude towards problems.

"Life, give me more!" is about staring down life and saying, "I can handle any problem that life throws at me." It is the attitude of extreme confidence that you can handle anything, you can survive anything, you can overcome anything. "Life, give me more!" is an attitude of that you can win!

How do I know this?  One reason is human history, full of examples of people who have overcome great sufferings and ordeals.  That power to overcome is inherent in all of us.  Another reason I know that I can handle anything that life throws at me, is because of my faith.  Another name for faith is hope.  Faith, hope, and optimism allow me to survive life. One more reason I know I can handle is that I have experience overcoming life. I have handled.  I have survived.  I have won.

What does it mean to win over life?  It doesn't mean you'll never have problems again.  Life is problems.  Problems are drops of water in the ocean of life; they are one in the same. You will always have problems for as long as you live.

To win over life is to confront it with confidence and joy. Be eager, be ready, and be joyful as you encounter life's problems.  Have the confidence that you can overcome.  Things may not always come your way.  Problems might get worse or never solved. But you will survive.  You will survive life's problems.

Have confidence, hope, and joy as you go through life.  When you are presented with a problem say, "Alright Life, I'm ready.  I asked for more and you gave me more.  I can handle this.  I can survive.  I will win!"

Next:  DICTATE - Problem Solving Tool


(c) Jim Risser/Kava Java LLC