(Newswire.net — May 26, 2014) Chicago, Illinois — Seth Godin, one of the most brilliant business writers of this century writes, in his book Purple Cow “You’re either a Purple Cow or you’re not. You’re either remarkable or invisible. Make your choice.” You need to be remarkable to be memorable. Today it’s more important than ever.
“Reinvent Yourself Using Innovative Solutions”. By James D. Feldman
Writing is a ‘Know’Brainer
I met Jim Feldman at the Independent Writers Organization of Chicago. He came as a replacement speaker for the group for the meeting. It was an event that really interested me. The talk was on “Writing is a ‘Know’Brainer: How to Use Your Whole Brain to Think Better, Faster and Smarter”. Who doesn’t want that?
– How your brain functions during the creative process
– A four-stage process for writing more creatively and innovatively
– How writers can share their “light bulb moments” with other individuals on LinkedIn
I couldn’t wait to get there.
I arrived 30 minutes early. The original speaker Gerald Haman could not make it so James D Feldman came to take his place for the presentation. As soon as James began to talk, I knew this was going to be something special. I had idea who he was but I got he was someone I needed to listen to, learn from and get to know.
My impression of Jim is of a man that lives big.
When he speaks there is the feel of an opera tenor. There are people that live large and command the space, not in a dominant way but in a natural way that comes from living life. Some live life in their own way because they have no choice. It is who they are. The rules and limitations are not walls or barriers but things to use in their negotiations. Great negotiators take the whole and make it into small pieces. The purpose is not to beat the other person but to find a new combination that is better for all.
There are things that some of us simply do because it is who we are.
We can’t turn it off. When I talk with Jim I realize he lives in a reality where everything is in motion. What appears fixed to most us are pieces that can be moved changed and monetized. Genius appears in many ways. In Jim it comes by combinations, strategies, creative solutions and wins for many. What appears to others as a loss appears to Jim and simply out of position to monetize. If we could compare this to something it might be life a chess game but the pieces are always changing and the game never ends.
The game Jim plays is about winning not beating. He can’t help himself. In order to win he has to position others as winners.
A system of creative problem solving came to him.
He kept hearing the phrase to think outside the box but something just was not right or missing in that. How are you going to see what the box is about if you are out of it? The box has its place. It is the place to start.
After many years of studying, practicing and exploring creativity Jim did what he does, take creativity and create a way that he and others could use it. Not just once but always. It could be a system you bring up when you want or need it or integrate in so it becomes as natural as your native language.
He created 3D thinking.
3D thinking is on the surface simple. I have found that just like I can learn a sentence in a foreign language and say it that does not mean I speak the language. A parrot can speak a sentence.
When I met with Jim we talked about 3D thinking. It was interesting and intellectually not hard to understand. From life I have learned that there is a big difference between looking at something intellectually and experiencing and integrating it. I remember being a kid and looking at the high dive. It did not look very high. Only a few steps up. How things changed when I was up on the dive preparing myself to jump or dive. There is nothing that replaces diving in.
I learn by moving through a process, an idea, a concept a feeling.
For me it moves from being an intellectual idea to my becoming fluent with it. I wanted to be in my 3D thinking lab.
Jim gave me a problem. It is a real life situation he had dealt with in his life. He writes about it in his book “Reinvent Yourself Using Innovative Solutions”. The problem was a railroad car had broken down. It was stuck on the tracks full of Chef Boy-R-D-Spaghetti sauce. The insurance had paid the money and now the car was stuck there. Who in their right mind would see this as a business opportunity? Jim did.
This was the problem Jim gave me and I was to creatively solve it using 3D thinking. In my case I would call 3D full being solutions. I did this by being in the box investigating then going to the next step distance which is looking out from the box to who might want to buy a railcar. When I saw options I step out of the box and in the next step determination sold the rail car. I still had the contents. Who would want a rail car full a spaghetti sauce as it has value? Institutions need lots of spaghetti sauce so made some calls. There was a military base nearby and they use lots of spaghetti sauce. The story ends well and is in his book.
The hard part I am finding about writing about Jim is how much there is to him.
Jim is about living the theory. What he talks about is not what he thinks it is what he is and lives. There is a different feel when someone is speaking from their being and not from a prepared presentation and from there mind. We connect with them. We get it.
Learn more about speaking engagements, seminars and his new book at
James D. Feldman
Web: www.shifthappens.com
Email: jfeldman@shifthappens.com
Ph: 312-527-9111
LinkedIn