You've read how important it is to break old habits in order to do something creative but how do you break old habits?

Do things differently.

To solve a problem allow your mind to wonder and explore those hidden places to find perhaps, an answer that makes no sense at all. DO NOT decide on the first solution that comes to mind. List all of the options you can think of whether they make sense or not.

This is brainstorming. In creative thinking you will almost always use a form of brainstorming as part of the creative technique

Melding of concepts that seem to be incompatable can open a world of possibilities.Original ideas happen when you create new sets of patterns in your mind.

You will ideas where none existed before when you force yourself to see relationships between dissimilar things.

Common relationships:
ham and eggs
bread and butter
peanutbutter and jelly
sister and brother
mom and dad
table and chair

Uncommon combinations: the melding of two or more unlikely products/objects together:
- Swiss Army knife...knife, scissors, screw driver etc.
- Peanut butter cup...chocolate and peanut butter
- Wine and soda - wine coolers
- chips coated with sourcream and onion flavered dip
- peanut butter and jelly sandwiches - swirled together in same jar

New idea combinations:
- sound chip and zipper...discrete sound would be heard if you've forgotten to zip your pants or button all your buttons
- exercise bike to manually operate a generator to power a tv or radio only while exercising

In the world of art and invention, it is common to put objects together which have
no obvious connection.

To get ideas: Observe how people think and behave.
What do they combine together when buying items at a grocery checkout?

New ideas and thoughts can be provoked by this unfamiliar pairing of dissimilar objects.

Forcing these dissimilar connections will open your mind to ideas you probably never could have imagined otherwise.

The human brain will eventually make a connection between two separate objects or ideas.

The two objects or ideas will eventually wind around each other and become connected even though they are not related at all.

The trick is to look for the connection or relationhip between the two unrelated objects or ideas.

Once you become aware of the many creative options that will arise from using this technique, you will begin to routinely see connections between dissimilar things.

Businesses to remain competitive must introduce new products by:
- adapting old ones
- developing new ones

Random pairings - great ideas- but not always marketable
- exorbitant price but low quality
- expensive economy car
- bland but fattening snack

Introducing opposing conceptual combinations to position a product in the marketplace:
- Nissan Altima: affordable luxury
- Hyundai: state-of-the-art technology at affordable price

Companies combining opposite traits to carve out a specific niche in the world of products:
Affordable safety: you don't have to be rich to feel safe
Diet foods: deicious taste but low fat and low calories

Test yourself.
What new products or sales pitch could you develop for these concepts?:
- rugged comfort or rugged elegance
- toys for people who take their fun seriously
- personal products for the tender yet virile man
- personal products for the softly senusous yet assertive woman