Lateral thinking involves looking at things in different ways from everyone else. It means coming at the situation from the side rather than head on. It comprises thinking unconventional, heretical thoughts that challenge existing norms and the status quo. Here are thirty ways to foster your lateral thinking:

1. Embrace Curiosity: Stay curious as you go through life. Ask why, why, why. Keep considering sidetracks and unusual questions. Do not take anything for granted. Always be prepared to consider other approaches and explanations.
2. Ask More Questions: Children ask hundreds of questions every day, but most adults ask very few because they think they already know most of the answers and do not wish to appear ignorant. Ask basic questions, searching questions, childlike questions.
3. Keep an Open Mind. You have plenty of ideas and opinions but always be prepared to consider entirely different points of view. Force yourself to countenance alternatives.
4. Mix with People Who Think Differently. Chances are that most of your friends and colleagues are like you in background and opinions. Deliberately expose yourself to a variety of cultures and perspectives to broaden your thinking.
5. Challenge Assumptions: Question existing norms and assumptions. Look for alternative viewpoints and solutions.
6. Contemplate the Opposite: Go further and ask, ‘What if the opposite were true?’ It will lead you to creative ideas.
7. Set Aside Time for Creativity: Our brains are cluttered with pressing tasks. Practice mindfulness to clear your mind and create space. Dedicate specific time in your schedule for day dreaming, creative thinking and imagination.
8. Harness the Random: Deliberately introduce random ideas into your thinking. Grab a random word from the dictionary, a random picture, song or object and force connections with your challenge.
9. Read Widely: Read books, articles, and content from different fields to gain a broader knowledge base. Read fiction and nonfiction.
10. Experiment and Take Risks: Lateral thinkers do not trust models or theories; they trust experiments. Don’t be afraid to try new things and take calculated risks.
11. Learn from Failure: Every experiment that fails and every mistake can teach a lesson. Treat failure as a valuable learning experience.
12. Stay Positive: Maintain a positive mindset, as negativity can stifle creativity. Focus on solutions rather than problems.
13. Create a Stimulating Environment: Surround yourself with inspiring and creative elements to encourage innovative thinking.
14. Play Games: Be playful. Treat everything as a game but one where you can cheat and use cunning tactics to win.
15. Use Root Cause Analysis: Before you start thinking up solutions make sure that you are tackling the real sources of the issue.
16. Brainstorming Sessions: Organize brainstorming sessions with colleagues to generate a multitude of ideas. Use an external facilitator and a variety of methods.
17. Continuous Learning: Stay updated on the latest trends and technologies within your industry and in other fields.
18. Connect Unrelated Ideas: Find connections between seemingly unrelated concepts to generate fresh perspectives. Look for weird combinations.
19. Travel: Visit other countries and cultures. Go to art galleries and museums. Absorb different philosophies and values.
20. Take Breaks: Allow your mind to rest and recharge. Take exercise. Go for long walks. Breaks can lead to enhanced focus and creative thinking.
21. Be Humorous: Humour is a form of lateral thinking. Think of witty, funny or absurd comments and ideas that amuse you and others.
22. Model Yourself on Creative People: Read biographies of creative people in all walks of life – from Leonardo da Vinci to Lady Gaga. Which of their approaches or methods can you copy?
23. Embrace Ambiguity: Lateral thinkers are suspicious of certainty. They are comfortable with doubt and ambiguity. Look for alternative meanings and explanations.
24. Be Outrageous. Be prepared to offend people by offering outlandish, scandalous or outrageous ideas or approaches. Be bold but first estimate the risk.
25. Break the Rules: List all the rules that apply and then consider what would happen if you broke them one at a time.
26. Go For Quantity: Don’t look for one good idea. Look for ten. When you have a great idea do not stop. Keep looking for more ideas and then refine the best ones.
27. Ask for Help: Ask people from completely different fields for their perspectives and ideas.
28. Reframe the Problem: Sometimes the way that the problem is articulated can restrict your thinking. Try expressing the challenge in a completely different way and it will help you to think differently.
29. Carry a Notebook: Take a notebook with you to jot down your musings and ideas. Writing can stimulate the brain.
30. Reverse the Problem: Instead of trying to solve the problem think of ways to make it worse. Then reverse those ideas to see where that leads.

And finally, here is a bonus idea.

• Sleep on it: Ponder your challenge and then get a good night’s sleep. A lateral idea may come in a dream, or the next morning in the shower or on the journey to work.

Lateral thinking is a skill that can be developed and nurtured over time. Incorporating these practices into your routine can help foster a more innovative and lateral mindset.

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This post was previously published on Destination Innovation.

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