“ It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. ” Herman Melville (Author of Moby Dick)
I did shared my belief in the importance of reading books in my previous writings. Reading books is so important that sometimes you read a book and a lot of things can change in your life. This week, I would like to share some ideas from the book named “Originals”, which I found the most influential book, among over 50 books I have read in the last 6 months. The author of this book, Adam Grant, is a famous social scientist in the United States and the main topic of the book is the differences between original people compared with the ordinary. The book was written as a compilation of many kinds of research. Almost every sentence has a reference. As a medical doctor working in the pharmaceutical industry, I love books which include references. I should also mention that I have not met such detailed references in a book for a long time. While reading this book, you can easily lose yourself into researches, mentioned in detail. Adam Grant has created a crucially important resource for personal development.
At the end of the book, 20 practical steps are shared for those who are personally interested in being original. In this article, I would like to share 10 of them with you:
1-Do not think absolute, think according to the situation.
The book discusses how we get used to thinking with molds and how we are far from being original. We should keep in mind that the general rules that appear to be virtually unchangeable are created by humans. You have to ask yourself questions in order to reveal the difference. How can I do that differently? How do I make a meaningful difference?
2-Tri-fold the number of ideas you produce.
The more ideas you produce, the greater your chance of producing an original idea.
3-Immerse yourself in a foreign environment.
The more you experience a variety of things, the better your vision develops.
4-Make strategic delays.
Stop when you feel stuck, and give time to your brain to think about it (use the subconscious effect).
5-Leave the brainstorm and start the brain writing.
The author emphasizes that brainstorming is ineffective in creating an original idea. He mentions that it is much more effective to develop ideas on our own and then demand feedback for enhancing them.
6- Concentrate on the reasons for not supporting your opinion.
Reveal the weaknesses of your ideas by yourself, so that people could not find any extra reason to reject your idea.
7-Put your most daring idea on a Trojan horse, then wait for the right time to expose.
The book emphasizes that many important people share their dreams little by little when they need to involve other people in their plans, and they proceed with small steps to achieve the final result. When you come with a small idea with small targets and needs, you are more likely to be accepted. If you suddenly share the big dream in your head, you may seem a dreamer and they may reject your offer.
8-Address people’s personalities and values.
Linking with existing beliefs makes new ideas more acceptable.
9 – Prohibit words such as, “ like”,“ hate”.
In the book, it is emphasized that comments containing analysis affect us positively in terms of originality. Instead of using general verbs; “I liked”, “Love it”, “Hate it” we should use sentences that express our feelings more clearly. This will increase our creativity. For example, if someone asks “How did you find this workplace?”. We can answer like “They have a detailed and comprehensive business model. I’ve seen potential success.”.
10-Arrange the day of contrasts.
Create different groups in your work environment or in your friends’ environment. Give each group a generally accepted idea, behavior or belief, and ask them in which situations it may not be true. In fact, the opposite can be true. Let each group present a brief presentation. Discuss the different ideas together.
Do you like ideas shared in this article?
If you like to create different points of view, or if you are tired of living in an ordinary style and want to be one of the originals in the world, you must read this book. I can simply describe this book in a word; wonderful.
Have a great day.
Reference: 1 -Grant, A. (2016) Orijinals