Have you ever been faced with a problem or important question?
Something serious…. like choosing a career path, finding a place to live, or picking out an air freshener for your car? Every time you ponder a solution, your brain goes back to a default answer.
This motion feels like hitting refresh on your internet browser only to end up on the same blank screen.
For about six months I had this lingering problem I could not solve. Each time I tried to gel up a new solution, my default setting brought me right back to the same answer. My problem was more in-depth than choosing between a Snoop Dog or Johnny Cash air freshener? It needed some serious think time.
The main problem I faced was getting out of my own head.
I needed to see and hear new creative ways of approaching my problem. How could I do this?
An easy way to generate brand new ideas is to hit the road.
“The freedom of the open road is seductive, serendipitous and absolutely liberating” -Aaron Lauritsen
The timing Gods were on point! I found this on the road!
Out of the blue, they delivered me, 34 hours of drive time. From Dunedin, FL to Salt Lake City. Giving me three full days of nothing but wheels hitting the pavement.
I was assigned to a Cannonball Run.
I came to this conclusion while “ I was in hot pursuit of a black Lamborghini.” Why not use this trip to work out my above problem.
The humdrum of the road offers up a perfect opportunity to hear, see and think differently. Yet, you can do this anytime you’re in the car. Commuting to and from gigs or Ubering kids to practice.
Here is what I learned while being on the road;
Let’s begin with the problem.
Our eagerness to solve a current problem often leads us to a quick fix. This is usually not the most effective outcome but, it’s the first that pops up. And our brain tends to use this method as the default setting.
The mind focuses on small bits of information. Because of this, we often overlook relationships and information. Not seeing beyond the obvious solution makes it hard to see common situations in a new light.
To find a new and creative solution to our problems, we need to escape the habitual ways of looking at situations. Learning by placing ourselves in new environments.
While I was packing my bags for the road trip. I was thinking about audiobooks, podcasts, and new music I could spin along the drive. This would give me time to catch up. I also thought about the problem I was facing.
During the 36 hours of driving, I listened to new music of genres and lyrics that were unfamiliar. I heard new stories (audiobooks) and listened to new business podcasts. And I laughed like crazy at comedy routines.
Then…..
I turned everything off and listened to the sound of the road, this gave me time to reflect on the new material I had consumed.
And between, I scanned each new town. In search of something different.
Seeing gives you a chance to view how other cities are structured. And how they operate.
And when I got back in the car…..
I thought about my problem, then I took what I heard on the road, what I saw, and I applied it.
And out of nowhere, late the next evening in a hotel room in Moab…..a NEW answer presented itself.
It was the answer to my lingering problem. A new solution!
You may not have 36 hours of solitude to work on a problem. But you do have the ability to do everything I did on a tankful.
Here is what you will need for your road trip.
- New content ( music, podcast, audiobooks ) Grab something fresh that will get the wheels turning. Enlighten your brain by hearing something new.
- Your nagging problem? Pick one.
- A clear mid
- The willingness to hear and see things differently
- Time to let the solution present itself
Each day presents new problems. Some of them are easy to decide on. Others require that we ponder new creative ways to approach them. Driving the open road helped me. You may not have the time or ability to hit the road, but a new bypass is awaiting you.
As for the air freshener…I am going to go with Ludacris “Move B@#*” perfect for all driving conditions.
