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How is this thing you’ve noticed similar to the topic you’re working on?
What’s different about it? And what’s most striking about that?
What might that suggest as an idea for you to explore?
REACHING INSIGHT
When you need a flash of inspiration on a thorny topic, try the following:
Pose a question.
Refresh and reboot.
Switch views.
Find an analogy.
Making Wise Decisions
SIGNS THAT YOUR AUTOMATIC SYSTEM IS IN CHARGE
“It’s obviously right (or obviously wrong).” “I recently heard XYZ…therefore…” “Everyone agrees.” “I understand it—so I like it!” “Let’s just stick with what we know.” “There’s only one real option.”
ADOPT A CROSS-CHECK ROUTINE
Here are five cross-check rules that I’ve seen people deploy effectively: “Don’t Default,” “Devil’s Advocate,” “Mandate Dissent,” “Never Say Never,” and “Pre-mortem.”
Don’t Default
Hit the “pause” button and give yourself a moment to think about alternatives. Ask yourself and others: “If we had to think of other possibilities, what would they be?”
Look hard at the advantages of the other options, and use what you discover to test or refine the original proposal.
Devil’s Advocate
Think of someone you respect but who tends to approach things differently than you do, perhaps because of their personality or experience. Maybe you’ve even disagreed with them in the past. (Think of more than one person who fits the bill, if you can.)
Ask your devil’s advocate(s) about the situation: • What do they see differently than you do? What do they think you’re missing? • What assumptions would they challenge in your thinking? • What advice would they give you?
“If there were something we were missing here, what would it be?”
“If there were a completely different way to see this, what would it be?”
“If there were one thing that worried you about this, what would it be?”
Never Say Never
Conduct a Pre-mortem
Think about what you’re trying to achieve with the decision you’re making.
Think forward to an alternate future when your decision has played out, and played out badly.
Imagine yourself now picking up the pieces. Ask yourself: Why did it go wrong? What was it that you failed to think about when you first made the decision?
WATCH OUT FOR SYSTEM FATIGUE
You’re feeling impatient or irritable.
You’re finding it hard to concentrate or think straight.
You start making small mistakes or saying clumsy things.
Take a proper break, if you can, ideally involving some physical movement. Failing that, give yourself the kind of “mindful pause” I covered in Chapter 6, on overload: give yourself a few minutes to focus on your breathing (or some other simple point of focus).
Shift your focus to a routine task that needs doing but is less mentally taxing.
Take extra steps to review what you’re doing, using one or more of the five cross-check techniques I described earlier in this chapter.
RESOLVE DILEMMAS WITH (GREATER) EASE
MAKING WISE DECISIONS
Notice when your automatic system is talking.
Adopt a cross-check routine.
Don’t default:
Play devil’s advocate:
Mandate dissent:
Never say never:
Conduct a pre-mortem:
Watch out for system fatigue.
Resolve dilemmas with greater ease. Ask “What could I do?” rather than “What should I do?”
Boosting Your Brainpower
START WITH POSITIVE FRAMING
Before you get into your task in detail, take stock of recent positive events.
Imagine the ideal outcome of the task or project.
