A Creative Solution for a Complex Problem
How a TEDx collaboration changed the way I see challenges
Since I was young, I found illustrations are an efficient way to record and remember ideas. Time passed and I became a Software Engineer, but I still use illustrations and sketches to capture what I think is worthy to remember later. I only use analog tools like sketchbooks, markers, pens, etc, because I enjoy the manual process. (I definitely like drawing and designing).
The ideal scenario for me when I want to make an illustration or a sketchnote is to have a book, text, slides or video with the content, and take the time to reflect about the ideas. First, I make a draft sketch and after a polished final version. That could easily take me two or three hours of work, depending on the subject.
For example, when Sam Altman of Y Combinator launched the How to start a Startup program back in 2014, I decided to put my creativity to work and make some sketchnotes. Here are my favorites:
Sketchnotes have been popular since SXSW 2008 when Mike Rohde started a trend by making visual notes and with internet help and social media, it is now very well received in any conference. For more, see Mike Rohde’s book The Sketchnote Handbook.
In my case, I made these illustrations for me at first, but other people found them interesting and valuable to share on social media.
In 2015, I started my volunteer time with TEDxKanata, mostly helping with the social media coverage. After the talk videos were posted, I made some illustrations:
The same year, I had the opportunity to go to the 99u conference in NY, its official map for the event was too complicated to follow so I resolved the problem with a simple illustration:
It was very satisfying to see people using my map and not the official one.
In all the previous cases, I made the illustrations in a private and quiet place, where I could control my time and the resources to use.
Then, I got an invitation from TEDxKanata 2017 to make a graphic recording of all the talks for the next conference. From the outside, this could look the same as what I had been doing but it doesn’t. First, the time window was limited to 18 mins. Second, I had limited access to the content before the talk and last but not least, all this will happen live in front of the stage. Wicked.
Amelia Earhart once said: “When a great adventure is offered, you don’t refuse it”
So, I didn’t refuse. But I realized that I couldn’t face this challenge using my conventional logic tools.
What happened next was my big takeaway from this experience and the lessons I learned when I have to face complex problems again.
Jason Silva is a Philosopher, Futurist, and Host of BrainGames TV series on National Geographic Channel, his videos are very popular and one, in particular, resonates very well with my dilemma: How to reduce the anxiety of a complex problem and allow my creative mind take control of the situation.
He talks how improv comedy or theater can be used as a tool to reduce excitement because it forces you to be present, step into the “deep now”, reducing or silencing your inner critic (our inner Woody Allen). Nice.
Then, when Jason Silva started talking about the new book of Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal “Stealing Fire,” blew my mind when he explains the details of the elusive flow state.
Jason Silva said: “A flow state is a state of consciousness in which you feel your best, and perform your best. Think of an athlete in the zone, the jazz musician in the pocket, think of the surfer catching that perfect wave.“
And these states of consciences are characterized by the acronym STER,
- Selflessness, by stepping outside ourselves.
- Timelessness, your sense of time dilates and dissipates.
- Effortlessness, the activity just flows magically.
- Information Richness, the feeling of realization and possibility that seems to emerge from the world around you.
A flow state is like high-definition reality in slow-motion.
Steven Kotler said: “First, creativity is essential for solving complex problems — the kinds we often face in a fast-paced world. Second, we have little success training people to be more creative. And there’s a pretty simple explanation for this failure: we’re trying to train a skill, but what we need to be training is a state of mind.”
My Plan: To enter into a flow state to significantly boost my creativity and perform my best job within the time established. Easy, right?
Then, when TEDxKanata day arrived, I deployed my plan. How? Being out of my comfort zone, trusting my passion for illustration and creativity, also enjoying the fact that I don’t how it’s going to end.
The results: I was in a flow state, felt the STER, and made 9 awesome full-size graphic recorders:
Conclusion:
- You don’t need to draw to enter into a Flow Stage. For some people, it could be triggered by meditation, a workout, cooking, dance, playing guitar, psychedelic drugs, etc. (For more, see the Stealing Fire book). The important is to be aware when you enter to a non-ordinary state, make sure you record your ideas and outcomes.
- In a flow state, your creativity takes control, silencing your perfectionist inner critic. (Errors are just fine.)
- Intuition and relaxation are common presents in a flow state.
- There are many disciplines and companies (as Google) encouraging their employees to practice flow states to boost innovation and creativity.
By Periodically losing our minds, we stand a better chance of finding ourselves. -Steven Kotler
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More posts from J.P. Solano:
- Things you want to know before developing a SaaS product
- Commute Self-Awareness
- Entrepreneurs, Credibility and The Sinatra Test
- 8 reasons why every entrepreneur should do the Spartan Race
- Stephen King’s Top 20 rules for writers applied to entrepreneurs
- The Stress Paradox
- 10 Lessons learned at 99u IDEO’s studio session
- How “elBulli” turned dining into an experience
- Share your idea, nobody will care anyway
- Why not take advantage of yourself?
- Unleash your inner superhero
