INTEGRITY OF CHARACTER + CREATIVE THINKING = SUSTAINED SUCCESS IN LIFE.

YESTERDAY I TALKED ABOUT creative thinking, it is generally assumed that it is inborn- you either have it or you don't. Since I learnt it much later in life, and I was encouraged by the results I think it's like learning cycling, dancing or typing.(Hats off to Edward de Bono's marvellous books specially 'Lateral Thinking').It will be rewarding if we- both parents and teachers take deliberate steps towards inculcating it in ourselves and in the children in our care. So keeping with the current maxim of tips here are five of them for you to start on this exciting journey of endless possibilities.

• Allow the children to crib about anything they do not like, but minutes later also ask them what they or others could have done to make the situation congenial for everyone or anything involved in that episode.Encourage them to generate more than one option.
• When you go to a public place where service/ambience is good, ask the children what all makes it so interesting and also how it can be made better.
• Never reject anything on the grounds that it has not been done before.Doing something different which the child has thought of herself gives the maximum dose of self-confidence. However if you have to say No then do not do it immediately, say it after as much time as you can.
• After watching a movie, a daily soap,or after a story-telling session encourage children to think of different endings.
• When a child brings any problem/ project to you for discussion,begin the conversation with a cheerful "Let's think of 8 ways of doing/solving it. You may write down the options, but do not judge or comment on any option till the predecided no: of options is reached. Now apply reasoning, judgement to select the most suitable one. You may reject seven out of eight,and some may just make you laugh, but it will train the mind to look beyond obvious solutions and who knows the seven rejected ideas may suddenly prove useful somewhere else in a different set of circumstances. Over a period of time it develops a Never say die attitude'.

Gone are the days when knowledge was power,today and tomorrow belongs to people who can make the most innovative use of their abilities, resources and information available. Look around all movers and shakers at all levels are creative in their thinking.

I' am looking for a bouquet,it may come with a brickbat too. See you...