In my mind, there are six secrets to being original.
- Question the status quo.
- Get to the bottom of how you feel about things by questioning your own thoughts.
- Recognize your own filters.
- Let go of fear.
- Learn to think outside the box.
- Have adventures.
I don’t think it matters much what order you start in. And checking off one item on the list often leads to checkmarks on other points. For example, if you sky dive successfully chances are you are going to overcome a fear of falling. Likewise, by visiting a culture very different from your own (adventure), you will likely have the occasion to think outside the box and might even come back with a bag full of new ideas.
Adventures are frequently the seeds of ideas. Learning to question “what is” becomes the fertilizer for original thought. And, a great way to find things to question is to carefully examine your own beliefs. Like I told a new client today, “A belief is not the truth. It is simply what you believe right now. If it is limiting you in some way, it is time to get a new belief.”
When you start examining your own beliefs, you will recognize that they come from your own filters. Think about the labels you have for yourself. Mine are: Baby Boomer, Texan, Divorced, Oldest Child, Sagitarrian, Dog Lover, Motivator, to name a few. My labels or filters all affect what I believe and so do yours.
You don’t have to change any beliefs. Just be aware of where they are coming from. And when you find any that are contradictory to each other, that indicates a place where you are not being authentic or true to yourself. Contradictory beliefs will detract from your happiness level and create alot of wasted energy mulling them over. When you clear out the mental debris, the original thought floats gentle to the surface like a beautiful butterfly.