In today's’ world there are a lot of disruptions that can easily drive you away from the goals or strategies you set. Have you ever found yourself doing something that is totally different from what you wanted? If yes, it means you need to change your way of thinking, be more disciplined, frequently remind yourselves on what you have to do and shift your perception towards life in general. This gives you a break to reassess, reflect and get ready for change.
Here are thoughts from different business owners and entrepreneurs on how they help themselves to think differently.
#1-Look at doubt as a challenge
The best thing I can do to change my thinking when I am doubting myself is to prove myself wrong by looking at that doubt as a challenge. Fear can be a liar, but when we train our brains to keep going despite that fear, that's where the magic happens.
Thanks to Caitlin Pyle, ProofreadAnywhere!
#2- Pursue multiple projects
In order to think differently, we have to experience different challenges and obstacles. One of the biggest problems that successful people have is that they get really good at what they do. It becomes comfortable and easy. We have to force ourselves to go travel if we're not inclined to travel, or stay at home and meditate if we're not inclined to being at home. We have to learn a new language or how to find opportunities to volunteer in the community. Learn to play a new video game or the fundamentals of coding. Each of these different pursuits will expose us to new crowds and new circles. This diversity of thought, experience and culture is what allows the truly successful to think differently.
Thanks to Alexander Noren, forgeant!
#3-Think above my current circumstances
What helps me think differently is to think above my current circumstances. To think in terms of what is possible and not what is. When we think in terms of what is, we are limited to current resources and circumstances. It becomes difficult to see beyond that. But when you start to think in terms of what is possible, then there is no limit. Your resources become limitless as are the opportunities and possibilities. It shifts your perspective, allows you to think differently and broadens your solutions.
Thanks to Eloïse Gagnon
#4- Exposure to new ideas
Spending at least half an hour each day typically at the very beginning or very end of the day, exposing myself to new ideas – it can take the form of a podcast, a YouTube video or a blog article. Sometimes it will be a way to improve our business processes or it can even be an area where I can improve personally, such as productivity or management. If I like the idea, I make a note to research it further, and then I try to see how I can include that in our work going forward. I've found that dedicating specific time to ‘new ideas' helps to prevent our business from becoming trapped in a bubble.
Thanks to Tom Dempster, True Boost Digital, LLC!
#5- Setting aside time for yourself
Setting aside time for myself before jumping into my workday helps me to have a clear and focused mind. My mind is easily cluttered with a million things on my list that I have to accomplish on top of all the extra anxiety and stress leftover from the previous workday. What I have found significantly improved my productivity levels, my mood, and mental health whilst also allowing me to think creatively is developing a set morning routine. Waking up early in the morning and setting aside time for physical exercise, followed by a 10/15 minute meditation practice has truly been transformative in opening and nurturing that innovative part of my brain.
Thanks to Ashwin Sokke, WOW Skin Science!
#6- Listen to my intuition
A CEO's job is to think differently, and from that creative space, the company gets to move forward successfully. To make sure that I'm always thinking differently, especially in the industry of music where trends are consistently changing, I always ask myself, how would I have made this decision one year ago? I allow that answer to come. I then ask myself, how would I make this decision today? And I allow that answer to come. From that place of pausing, asking, and actively listening to myself, my intuition, and my past experiences together, I'm able to make the decision that benefits the whole company everytime. Instead of forcing an idea or trying to change how I'm thinking, I allow myself to think in both directions, past and future, and a grounded idea that benefits the present moment is always the result.
Thanks to Alyssa Hoffman, Fearlyss Entertainment!
#7- Wide circle of diverse friends and colleagues
The advantage of having a wide circle of diverse friends and colleagues allows you to be open to learning what different problems or opportunities people are faced with. If you’re in the product business and you have a friend that’s in the tech world, what’s going on in his world may be completely different than your world but ideas may be similar. To see differently allows you to think differently, to be open to listening, actually opens your horizons. The greatest challenge with innovative thinking is the walls and mods people build around their heads. Innovative thought comes from exploring the unknown.
Thanks to Jonathan Bass, Whom Home!
#8- Get back to the roots
Entrepreneurs need to get back to their roots from time to time and begin to seek out innovative thinking, resulting in off-the-charts creativity, brainstorming sessions and new ways of doing the same old thing. Thinking differently is possible, as long as you are open to the idea that change is a positive thing. And who knows when the next big idea may completely change your outlet for the better!
Thanks to Chris Gadek, ADQUICK!
#9- Two ways
In order for me to have a change in perspective every once in a while, I see to it that I communicate with people who have different views than mine. By doing so, I can see a different point of view compared to what I currently have. Also, I take some time to watch informative videos on subjects I already know in order to gain a new perspective. I find this really helpful because my mind gets exposed to new ideas and to a different point of view, especially on certain topics or issues.
Lewis Keegan, Skillscouter!
#10- Positive thoughts all the time
I see failure as an opportunity for growth rather than a reason to give up. No matter how many times I'm going to fall, I'll always get back up. It doesn't keep me from moving forward until I achieve my goal. There's no room for excuses. When I encounter challenges, I see to it that I'll learn from it along with the process of overcoming it. My ability to let go of negativity is what makes me confident when faced with these difficulties.
Thanks to Dennis Bell, Byblos Coffee!
#11- Practice
Thinking differently or being able to see other angles for each issue or solution isn't just about thinking positivity. It's your ability to train your brain doing this. So, to train your brain you have to activate the inactive parts of the brain which can be done by the simple basic ways that we've learned since the school such as reading, writing or learning new skills away from your industry.
Thanks to Jeremy Ong, HUSTLR!
#12- Meditation
Meditate before beginning work. I find that meditation focuses my mind so I can increase my productivity. There is one particular meditation I use: Open Awareness. It’s a method in which you open your mind to the entirety of your surroundings. I find (and research shows) that this technique massively boosts my creativity, which helps me find both opportunities I may have missed, and creative solutions to problems.
Thanks to Paul Harrison, The Daily Meditation!
#13- Consulting with senior team members
My seniors are always a source of inspiration for me, and they helped me to think differently. During my business life, I found that the best way I can think differently is to consult with my senior team members. I like to get their ideas and feedback and make strategies. I believe that many hands make light work, and the same is true of many minds. Great minds think differently and use multiple perspectives and multiple filters for thinking and understanding. My senior team members always bring something new and different in the meeting that is always welcome.
Thanks to Shawn Lockery, InVivo Biosystems!
#14- Willingness to learn
Thinking differently requires fostering a mind willing to learn and a desire to hear perspectives with minimal judgment. We all have opinions and we all have life experiences that shape those opinions. Eventually, we begin to have confirmation bias, where we interpret, search for and recall information that supports our beliefs and values. In short, people believe what they want to believe and stop looking at things objectively. Making a conscious effort to have your opinions while still gathering information, becoming educated and remaining open to hearing other's stories is a fundamental step in helping yourself think differently.
Thanks to Cindi Michaelson, HER Health Collective!
#15- Seek out feedback from my team
I seek out feedback from the members of my team in order to think differently. Their insight often allows me to take a fresh approach in order to solve a problem or utilize information found in trending subjects to create new offerings for our customer base.
Thanks to Deborah Sweeney, MyCorporation!
#16- Stay humble
Since rising through the ranks and running my own business I have tried to stay humble and look at things from a bottom-up as well perspective, not just from my view in my Ivory tower. Any significant decision, policy or important business move I make, I always put myself in the position of my employees and try to imagine how it looks to them and how it might affect them.
Thanks to Ethan Taub, Creditry!