Rules to Start with… and
then Break
Rule #1 — Rules are made to be broken.
The rules that can and should be broken are those which are unwritten
and govern our unconscious action. For example, most people have
an unwritten rule that dictates the route along which they commute
every day.
Note: While Creatonomy encourages you to think out-of-the-box and
look beyond common answers, we are not implying that you should
do anything illegal, immoral or unethical!
Rule #2 — Never rely on the first idea
that comes to your mind.
The first idea typically arises from those thought processes that
are most comfortable. To generate truly groundbreaking ideas, however,
you need to move outside your personal comfort zone.
Rule #3 — Define the problem you want
to solve.
When seeking a creative answer to a problem, you must first make
sure to define the problem. Stopping to carefully define the problem
can sometimes make you realize that you had been seeking solutions
to the wrong problem. Additionally, looking at your problem in a
different way may actually point you in unexpected directions for
possible solutions.
Rule #4 — Every idea has potential.
Ignore any initial reactions that an idea is dumb or worthless.
The very fact that an idea appears unrelated to the task at hand
can mean that it is providing an alternate perspective.
