Borrow brains and be more creative

This is mysteriously effective!

To come up with fresh ideas, put yourself in the shoes of other people. Better yet, put their brains in your head. For example, you are an educator who is designing a school. You are likely to build one that looks like another good school. But if you consult with Walt Disney, J. K. Rowling, or Steven Spielberg, you might have a more spectacular campus! Even the method of teaching might be different.

This technique of "imagining how others would do it" was taught by Roger Von Oech in his book A Whack on the Side of the Head.

Back in the advertising community, my concept team partner was a guy named Mario Monteagudo. “Genius” is not even sufficient to describe him. He won an ad of year award for several years in a row. One time while working on a print ad, he told me he would approach in the styles of five advertising legends he admired. He would add another approach using his own style, of course. The result was six potentially award-winning ads!

When I was tasked to think of an opening ceremony concept for our organization’s conference, I was stuck until I channeled the mind of my former boss, Jimmy Santiago. He was the creator of the best opening ceremonies in the history of the Philippine Advertising Congress. When I started painting, I modeled my works after the styles of Henri Matisse and Ken Done.

I believe that by thinking like another person, you can actually see things from a fresher perspective. You may be more adventurous too because you know you can “put the blame” on somebody else. You will be surprised how you can trick your own mind.

Some readers may complain, “what about originality?” Don’t worry about it. Your own style will emerge after copying your idol a few times. Even the Beatles were influenced by Little Richard and Chuck Berry, among others. Edouard Manet inspired Paul Gaugin. It is believed that Kobe Bryant tried to move like Michael Jordan.

Former US President Woodrow Wilson said, “I use not only all the brains I have but also all those I can borrow.”

Next time you write a poem or paint a landscape, imagine how your idol would do it.