How to Increase Those "YES!" Moments

Jul 22
21:00

2003

Virginia Reeves

Virginia Reeves

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I jotted this note down from a speech I heard. Kids are ... Their world is a ... in which reality ... run together into a riot of ... patterns and ...

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I jotted this note down from a speech I heard. Kids are imagination
machines. Their world is a kaleidoscope in which reality and
make-believe run together into a riot of fantastic patterns and colors.
Why do so many of us lose this ability as we age?

How many of you had a delightful toy where you swiveled the end piece
and bits of colored paper or plastic created new shapes continuously?
Maybe you have the grown-up version using glass pieces encased in a
heavier material than cardboard that you still point at the light and
ooh and aah at. Perhaps it's time to go and get one as a reminder to
let yourself be in awe of the wonder of how simple changes can be made
and new solutions found through a little twist.

I worked for a company that named one of their post-production special
effects products "Kaleidoscope" because of it's ability to take images
and merge,How to Increase Those "YES!" Moments Articles convert, and generally perform magic. If you watch any
movies or television you have seen the amazing results that technology
allows people to achieve. Think of your brain as an incredible piece of
equipment powerful enough to mimic this exercise. Study after study has
shown that we use just a small portion of our brain's capabilities - and
much of that is on the logical and analytical portion.

Want to know how to encourage the use of your imagination to create more
instances of achieving those intuitive a-ha solutions and moments of
knowing that you are on the right course? That flash of insight
feeling? A direct knowing or comprehension. How about that spontaneous
understanding of the how or why of something. Whether you pay
attention or not is a matter of trust in yourself. Of being willing to
accept that what you have just realized is valid. Even if it isn't the
final solution - it's a step up the ladder to creating a better you and
a new opportunity to reaching the goal you are currently pursuing.

Are you providing outlets for your creative senses and the need to
stretch your boundaries? Allow yourself to feel and act beyond your
typical innovative and inventive styles so an even more original
strategy can evolve. This generally requires you to be willing to
accept ideas from wherever they may emanate (the concept of allowing the
universe to bring to you what you need and want). Is your mindset one
of limitations or expansiveness? Are you willing to think bigger than
"normal"? Or are your patterns of thought more in the realm of being
squished inside a box because that is what you are used to?

Some people believe that you have to be very specific about what you
want your outcome to be. It's true that some tasks or projects require
an understanding by everyone involved. It's essentially the starting
point from which you then work backwards to figure out the best way(s)
to get to that level of achievement. This may be referred to as having
a common vision or a shared sense of purpose.

I believe it's okay to be vague when you are starting out on a project.
This allows you to be more receptive to possibilities. Brainstorming,
mind-mapping, jotting notes, or just talking with others can stimulate
your mind into new directions that you weren't even considering before.
Try not to anticipate an outcome as that can be a mind closer. Another
approach that may appeal to you is to consider your main topic to be the
eye of a hurricane and as it swirls and builds force - more and more is
brought into its fury until it is finally spent and settles down.

You have probably all heard that it is the quantity of ideas that is
more important when investigating or exploring a new avenue. In other
words, related and unrelated ideas are all important at this stage. It
is then -- as you begin to sort, categorize, meld, piggyback, and
organize all those comments and ideas into some kind of order -- that a
stronger semblance of quality emerges. This is a good time to practice
the infamous reporter (or 4 year old) questions of: who, what, why,
when, where, and how.

I've been on task force teams that had the good sense to bring in
"outsiders" who weren't involved with the project in any way because
they didn't come in with preconceived notions. They listened and then
added ideas based upon their experience and expertise. Also - since
they had no personal stake in the outcome and no rivalry with the other
members - they felt more free to toss out "wild ideas" that might
trigger thoughts for those more intimately involved.

If you've really been open, a new solution may pop out and you know it's
what you need to get moving. So get started and add on from there. You
start to cull from the other ideas to add depth and width to the
project. This is when the finesse shines through.

Other times, the challenge to figure out what needs to happen next
takes a bit longer. That's good too. This gives your brain more time
to digest and mix with all the other knowledge you have stored.
Applying pressure at this point can be detrimental. As long as you give
yourself time to consider other angles, this is when some of the best
breakthroughs will appear in your subconscious and/or conscious mind.
It's from this point that many people get their a-ha's, gut feelings, or
dawn of realization solutions.

Let the intuitive and the rational be partners. The voice of our own
"genius" can only be heard if you are listening for it. It's okay and
actually necessary to allow some emotional feelings to come through.
This can be difficult due to cultural, social, and family upbringing.
Those hunches, the light bulb coming on in the mind, and the casual or
serious observations of what goes on around you allow you to exploit
opportunities to "birth" new ideas almost instinctively.

Why should you cultivate your imagination and intuition? Because it
helps you to be open to "acting on impulse". These thinking styles draw
from your storehouse of knowledge, skills, and talents. The
subconscious mind holds even more treasures just waiting to be found,
opened, and used to your benefit. Let these attributes act as a
springboard to the normal functioning of your brain's capabilities.
Value and nurture them regularly.

In reality, achieving those "yes!!" moments is due to an already
extensive familiarity with the topic. You're permitting yourself to
consider all possibilities from a variety of sources and resources.
And, you are trusting yourself to know that whatever you have been
seeking is there for the taking right now. I encourage you to peek
around the corner and look over the edge - you might be pleasantly
surprised at what you discover.

It's not really magic - unless you consider all of life to be a
magically wonderful rainbow-colored, pot-of-gold seeking adventure! Now
that's an imaginative picture and my intuition tells me it's time to go
out and play!

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