CHALLENGE 2 | DAY 14 | All about creativity

16 january '14

Lateral thinking, step by step creativity explained, part 2

Vertical thinking is all about rightness
Lateral thinking is all about richness

Vertical thinking selects a pathway by excluding other pathways
Lateral thinking does not select but seeks to open up new pathways

Vertical thinking selects the most promising approach
Lateral thinking generates as many alternative approaches as possible

Vertical thinking looks through approaches for the most promising one
Lateral thinking finds a promising one and keeps generating and keeps looking for more

Vertical thinking only moves when there is a direction to move to
Lateral thinking moves in order to generate direction

Vertical thinking is analytical
Lateral thinking is provocative

Vertical thinking is sequential
Lateral thinking can move in jumps

Vertical thinking follows the most likely path
Lateral thinking explores the least likely ones

Vertical thinking is finite
Lateral thinking is probabilistic

The vertical thinker says: I know what I'm looking for
The lateral thinker says: I'm looking, but i won't know what I'm looking for until I have found it



A small note about todays workshops

Teacher? You look exactly like Obi wan Kenobi of the Star Wars.

If I want to know about fantasy, I observe kids. If I want to be inspired, I converse with kids. If I want to be creative I listen to kids. 

ONE TIME CHALLENGE | Tango workshop

16 january '14

Charlie, Tango, Bravo

My first impulsive action of the year! I went fully out of my comfort zone today. On tuesday I went on a dinner with a colleague and friend. We had a great 'authentic' thai meal and spent the time with some great conversation topics. One of the topics was 'the Tango'. He told me a story about the beauty of this dance. Besides the beauty he described all the feelings and interactions, between human beings, while dancing this extraordinary dance!

So I was stoked and that same night I went for a research and found +www.tangogroningen.nl where they teach you all about the Argentinian Tango. The funny part is that the have lessens to try for free until thursday 16th, today! Without hesitation I mailed and today I had a workshop/lesson!

What a difficult but interesting way of dancing. Especially the feeling and interaction between the male and female. Learning to lead, learning to feel and learning all about your own posture and movement. A very uncomfortable situation for me. I had to touch strange women. I had to move in a way that I've never done before. I had to be social.

Patience, relaxation, feeling, listening, body language, focus, trying, failing, learning. So many words come to mind and all just after 1,5 hour of trying something I never tried before!

CHALLENGE 1 | DAY 12 | 30 day challenges and learn how to blog

14 january '14

What's your plan?

I went for an update today. Did some research on different topics. Didn't feel like to search about the blog. Went for planning and structure of the program today. And I ordered a few books about creativity online! Yeah, looking forward to do some reading as well.

30-day challenges
1. All about creativity
2. Be a broker
3. Drums
4. Lifehacking
5. Project management
6. Hold my breath for 5 minutes
7. Start a new business
8. Learn magic
9. Develope a unique product
10. Write a E-book
11. French language
12. Selfmade communication expert
13. Didgeridoo
14. Swedish language
15. English language
16. Google adsens
17. Car mechanics
18. Live without buying plastic
19. Maori language and culture
20. Fixed gear bouwen
21. Zen budism

Multi challenges (challenges that can't be done in one month for some reason)
1. MMA
2. Skydiving
3. Ballet
4. Run a marathon
5. Pole dancing
6. One arm pull ups

One day challenges/experiences
1. Tango
2. Singing
3. Writing

CHALLENGE 1 | DAY 11 | 30 day challenges and learn to blog

13 january '14

Things I never thought I would do or try 

1. Ballet
2. Singing 
3. Pole dancing course 
4. Sky diving 
5. Mixed Martial Arts 
6. Writing

Will I master them to perfection? No! Will I fail? A lot I think. I will try to fail as often as I can, to learn as much as possible.

I'm going to participate in a writing course 16th of march at +www.schrijfatelier.nl. Just a small extra challenge to learn more about writing. Costs €150,- for a day course in Amsterdam.

Ballet is at my hometown and costs me €195 for 30 lessons. So this can be a 30 day challenge of course. I'm going to check how this works, and what the possibilities are for a grown man with no experience at all! Fun!!

MMA is on friday nights. It starts at 6 pm and stops at 7.30 pm. I will try it this friday 17th of january. The nerves are already in my stomach, when I think about it.

Singing really gives me the nerves. I really, really can't sing. That's my opinion. This is really out of my comfort zone..... We'll see. Lesson cost around €20,- for half an hour. Reasonable prices.

CHALLENGE 2 | DAY 10 | All about creativity

12 january '14

Challenge yourself, know your space and die empty.

I started the session with a video. The video of +Todd Henry. Coincidence? Luck? I don't think so. Nothing happens without reason. An interesting video especially when he started to talk about "Unnecessary Creating". After that line I listened very intrigued and careful. 

It gives goose bumps to hear, see and notice this video. This moment at this time. This moment of doing challenges, planned everything ahead. And then hear someone on the other side of the world talking about the things I'm doing now. Without any knowledge at the start. 

Creativity as a challenge subject. Why the first subject? All questions that come to mind now! I don't know why, just a feeling. Coincidence? Hmmm.....

Question: What's the most valuable land in the whole world? 

Answer: The graveyard, because of all the unchallenged ideas, unwritten books, business ideas which stayed just an idea.

And +Todd Henry decided to write two simple words on his wall after hearing this.

DIE EMTY

Thank you +Todd Henry. I'm looking forward to meet you some day. 

Anybody who wants to know what I mean because you've been reading this blog? Just check the video below.