No Buts

Be a yes and . . .

Don’t jump to judgment.

When we encounter something new, different, or strange, we tend to jump to judgment. We do this with small stuff, an unfamiliar vegetable, and with the big stuff, a new policy. And we do this with new ideas.

Keep an open mind.

Be curious. Seek to understand. See what’s good about an idea.  Understanding an idea does not mean you like or agree with it.

Hitchhike. Piggyback. Build on an idea.

A yes-and habit allows you to accept an idea and then build on it. Building on an idea creates momentum. The idea lives, morphs, moves forward.

Pivot. Another idea might be . . .

A yes-and habit opens a pathway for proposing differing, even opposing, ideas. This redirects the idea down a new path. The idea reshapes and takes on a new form.

Build a creative habit of “yes and.”

Stop if you jump to judgment.  Ask yourself, “What is at least one good or interesting aspect about this idea?”  Exploring an idea cannot hurt you. And remember that you get to decide if you like that idea or not. Building a creative habit of “yes and” will foster your creative growth.

Ask yourself,

In what ways might I nurture a “yes-and” habit?