I was on a call with several other business professionals and someone mentioned the "secret question". I asked if that was thinking about a question you want answered and listening for possibilities and hints to the answer in a conversation. "Yes", they replied. They were surprised I knew what it was without asking. In reality, it is one of a million techniques to inspire your creativity.
I decided to create my own version of the secret question. In the past, I have encouraged those who want to up their creativity factor to write down three questions each day and think about them throughout the day. It is not a requirement to solve them - but be open to any ideas that might come up in relation to the questions. It may be how to fix a problem, handle a difficult person, or a decision you are contemplating. The questions can be about anything. I tried the experiment myself and found that I frequently forgot completely about the questions. So, I decided that one "secret" question each day would be more reasonable and easier to focus on.
The first question I posed myself was "How could I get into the habit of writing every day?". Everything else always seemed to get in the way. From proposals to clients to laundry and grocery shopping - there was always something else that needed to be done. No sooner had I put that question into my head, then the next person to speak on the call mentioned she was having trouble getting into her writing and presented two challenges she was committing to. One was to write several hours a day and the other was to get a few friends lined up to review parts of her book every week. Now there was commitment! And - there was the answer to my question - committing to a certain amount of time and lining up friends to review my writing - which means I had to have something to give them.
It's working. What question will you play with tomorrow?