What would your (s)hero do?

What would you do if you were a Time Lord?

One of my favourite thought experiments is to put myself in someone else’s shoes. 

It’s also a neat coaching trick. 

Whenever a client can’t access their inner wisdom directly, I’ll ask them what one of their (s)heroes would do in a similar situation. 

“If they were trying to solve this, what…

• would Leonardo do?

• would Beyonce do?

• would Glenn Gould do?

• would Oprah do?

• would Jim Henson do?

• would Dolly Parton do?

• would Steve Jobs do?

• would David Hockney do?

• would Hilary Mantel do?

• would SARK do?

…and WHY?”

This is a fun and enlightening exercise in and of itself. 

Try it - think of a problem you’re trying to solve, and then imagine what your favourite person would do. 

It can be even more fun when you allow yourself to use fictional characters who aren’t bound by time and space the way we mere mortals are. 

I’m a massive fan of Dr. Who, so I love to ask “What would the Doctor do?”

It allows me to access the nonlinear unconventional creative part of my brain. And it’s a lot of fun to boot. 

Other fictional characters I love to play with are Neo, Gandalf, Beatrix Kiddo, McGyver and Sherlock Holmes.

If you don’t have a ‘normal’ brain, don't just use normal, linear ways to solve problems.

Get creative instead. 

Borrow your favourite character's knowledge, skills and beliefs about themselves to think at a different level.  

This weekend, when you’re thinking about a problem you’re trying to solve or a decision you have to make, solve it from the perspective of one of your (s)heroes - fictional or real. 

Enjoy your super(s)hero weekend,
 

Else