Brainstorming: The Disney Strategy For Finding Clarity And Getting Unstuck
If you're feeling stuck and need some clarity, brainstorming may be the answer! But not just any kind of brainstorming, the kind that doesn't kill your dreams before they even take shape in your mind.
The Disney strategy is a great way to get started. This strategy involves several steps for analyzing a problem, generating solutions or ideas to resolve it, evaluating those ideas, and finally constructing and critically reviewing a plan of action. I love this way of approaching a problem, especially when you feel there's nothing you can do to fix it. Often our lack of options or our difficulty in seeing the alternatives available comes from fear disguised as a strong focus to find flaws in any plan or course of action we come up with.
Clearly state the problem and brainstorm solutions
You start by clearly stating the problem or question you want to brainstorm about and what the task is you want to resolve.
For instance: "I want to move to a sunny location, preferably by the ocean, but I can't quit my job at the grocery store because I need to fund my life when I'm there. How can I ensure I will be financially secure to make this move?"
When I brainstorm possibilities or questions like this with clients, they all start with very few answers, sometimes none. But when we get creative, think outside of the box and go a little wild and crazy on what solutions might look like, we're always able to create an extended (and fun!) list of options to choose from.
For the question above, after a little bit of thinking and digging, the list might look something like this:
Not move and stay where I am.
Find a grocery store job where I want to be living.
Start my own business.
Get an inheritance, so I don't have to work at all.
Move to a sunny location and get a job that can be done online.
Start a GoFundMe page and ask for donations to help with the move.
Find a wealthy partner who already lives by the ocean.
Sell my art and pottery.
Become a coast guard.
Organize beach weddings and become a wedding photographer.
...
As you can see, the list above contains a mix of very realistic and not-so-realistic options. And that's ok! The goal is to get as many ideas on paper (or in your notes app) as possible.
Don't censor yourself while you're coming up with ideas
One unique thing about this approach is that no criticism is allowed while you're in brainstorming mode. And you're invited to come up with the wildest ideas and as many ideas as possible. This is what makes this method so unique. It's named after Walt Disney because he was a hard realist who was critical of his ideas and knew how to dream up the biggest and most impossible dreams first.
After coming up with creative ideas, Disney also introduced the practice at his animation studios. He would encourage his animators to "go wild" with their ideas and generate as many possibilities as they could. While doing this, nobody was allowed to criticize or downplay an idea. No feedback at all was being given. The only goal was to come up with as many possibilities as possible. There was plenty of time to think about their feasibility later.
In the 1990s, Robert B. Dilts developed a creative technique based on how Walt Disney brainstormed and called it the Walt Disney method. The original technique is meant to help a small group of four to six people develop new ideas and solutions. The basis for this is three roles that Walt Disney used during his creative process: the dreamer, the realist, and the critic:
The dreamer: This person comes up with as many ideas and possibilities as possible.
The realist: This person is responsible for looking at the ideas and judging which ones are realistic and feasible and which ones are not.
The critic: This person's job is to find flaws in the ideas and help improve them.
Narrow down your list and set priorities
After you've come up with as many ideas as possible, it's time to evaluate your options, so you don't get overwhelmed by them. This is the realist's job. The best way to do this is to narrow down your choices using your intuition and ask yourself:
What would you like to do?
What could you realistically do in the short term?
What are the most important factors for you?
What are your priorities?
Once you're clear on your top priorities, start using logic to categorize them and make informed choices. List the positive and negative aspects of each option.
For example, if one of your options is to get a job at a grocery store, the pros might be that you would get a regular paycheck, and it would be easy to find jobs like this. The cons might be that it's not the kind of work you want to do long-term, and it's not in the location you want to be living.
Make a choice and create a plan to move forward
Once you've examined your options, weigh the pros and cons and then make a choice. This is where the critic comes in. They help you to find flaws in the ideas and improve them. After you've made a decision, it's time to create a plan and take action.
If you've decided to get a job at a grocery store, your next steps might be to research which stores are hiring in your area and then submit your resume. Or, if you've decided to start your own business, your next steps might be to research what kind of business you want to start and then create a business plan. Whatever you decide, make sure to put even a tiny plan together, so you know what the next step to take is.
The Disney Strategy is a great way to find clarity and get unstuck! Brainstorming is a great way to see all the possibilities out there waiting for you, but doing it without holding yourself back is much more powerful! So next time you feel stuck, remember Disney and try it.
You might be surprised by what you come up with when you don't put any limits on yourself.
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