Carrie Anton - Me, Myself & Ideas: The Ultimate Guide to Brainstorming Solo

YOUR BRAINSTORMING AGENDA

Section One: Greetings & Ground Rules

Just as traditional group brainstorms tend to start off with a preview of whats to come and a meet and greet with company peers, this introductory section welcomes you to your own solo brainstorm. And instead of going around the room to say your name, your department, and your favorite cafeteria meal, youre about to get to know yourself a whole lot better.

But we cant move on without some rules first! Maybe the most common ground rule of every good brainstorm is There are no bad ideas. And barring clear plastic mom-jeans, we couldnt agree more. But when youre solostorming, the ground rules change a bit. This section is dedicated to laying down your own laws and enforcing them like a boss.

Section Two: The Breakout

The go-to mantra for real estate agents is Location. Location. Location. And it applies just as well to brainstorming. When it comes to generating ideas, where you do it makes all the difference to what you develop. Just as your office space shouldnt make work painful, your brainstorming space shouldnt discourage creativity. That doesnt mean hiring an interior designer, but it may mean getting out to take in a change of scenery or discovering the creative potential of the chaos that is your office.

Section Three: Icebreakers

Gone are the games designed to make group attendees feel more comfortable but that do just the opposite. You know what were talking about: Two Truths and a Lie, a BINGO card filled with interests and character traits to match to other meeting-goers, or a charades-style game with animal noises and movements the rest of the group has to guessbecause nothing says not awkward like mooing and mock chewing cud in front of your peers. Good news: not one of those awful games will be recommended here! Instead, this section is nothing but fun warm-ups you can use to transition from get-work-done mode to the brainstorm-brilliant-ideas zone. The goal of the exercises featured is to get your brain working in new ways while helping to prep yourself for your upcoming brainstorm sessions. Its sort of a two-for-one: power down the business brain and gear up for killer creativity.

Section Four: Brainstorm

Let the ideating begin! Unlike the icebreaker exercises and activities, which were designed to shake free everyday burdens, this section homes in on generating ideas and solving your solopreneur problems. The 20 techniques provided will guide you through any creative conundrum, process problem, or general feeling of stuckness, with methods you can modify to suit your needs.

Section Five: Sit & Simmer

Ideas need time to incubate before going primetime. Thats because what you thought was a brilliant idea at first might actually be a logistical nightmare, or not profitable, or just plain dumb. The thing is you dont know how good an idea is until youve sat on it a while. And unless you were gifted with the rare virtue of patience (full disclosure: we werent), waiting is tough. This section not only makes the downtime easier but also gives your brain a mental break after all that intense creative work. Here, we offer exercises and activities to help you endure the waiting period while also prepping your brain for whats up next.