The Value of Divergent Thinking

Divergent Thinking is the ability to generate many ideas or solutions from a single idea or piece of information. It’s thought to be one of, if not the most, important factor in creativity. Convergent Thinking, meanwhile, is the ability to take many pieces of information or data and generate one solution. It is largely taught and encouraged in schools and workplaces.

A divergent thinker will explore all possible solutions to a problem, increasing the likelihood of finding a solution that fits a particular problem perfectly. Here are some ways to develop Divergent Thinking –

• Pick an ordinary object, set a timer for 5 minutes and try to come up with as many alternative uses for a paperclip as you can.

• Every day for a week, try to come up with 10 new ideas within a specific topic or category.

• Imagine that your day was a news story in the New York Times. What would the headline be?

• Challenge the conclusion of articles you read by coming up with one question you’d like to ask the author.

• Start to notice your automatic thoughts and generate alternatives to them.

When we are exposed to alternative perspectives, we are more likely to engage in divergent thinking. It helps us generate many new ideas, imagine, be original, ask questions to spot problems, look for patterns, make unexpected connections, imagine, and see things from a variety of perspectives.

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