Think Negative: A new way to solve your problems.

I once had an art teacher who spent half of a semester having me focus on negative space and drawing the area around an object rather than the object itself.  For instance, instead of drawing a chair, I would be forced to see the area around the chair--the space that it didn't occupy--and then figure out how to draw those random shapes so that the end result looked like a chair.

At the time I thought, "What a mundane task!" But I now realize what a powerful principle this was -- that negative space holds new, previously unseen, solutions. In fact, I reflect on this lesson a lot in my professional life to help find answers to problems. As should you.

Rather than looking at the obvious solution to a question, look around it, under it, behind it. Concentrate on the empty space that nobody occupies and occupy it. In many cases it will cause you to have to deviate from your comfort zone. If it does, good. It means you're starting to think differently. You're starting to mutate.

It may take time to truly learn how to focus on negative space, but once you do it will open your eyes to new ways of learning and thinking. Just don't let your boss see you doodling in your next staff meeting.