High Performance: Lessons from the Best on Becoming Your Best

by Jake Humphrey

When we encounter problems, we often use tried-and-tested shortcuts to solve them. These ‘heuristics’ can be useful, but also stop us being creative. Effective problem-solving is all about smashing through your heuristics – and gaining a flexible perspective. How can we learn to think flexibly? First, convince yourself that the puzzles you encounter can be solved. It’s not that you can’t do it – it’s that you can’t do it yet. Second, learn to look at things afresh. Try thinking like a mad scientist. If you were encountering this problem without any preconceptions, what would you do? Third, get outside yourself. Ask the opinion of someone completely unlike you – do they have a different take? Above all, remember that seeing things in an unusual way isn’t the problem – it’s the solution. High performers do things differently.