Coaching Q&A: Lessons in creative thinking

I often marvel at some people who come up with great ideas that work. They are “on the ball” from the word go and stop at nothing until their goals are achieved. I wonder what goes on inside their minds. In the same way, I wonder what they have that I don’t. My results are just the opposite – non-creative, standard and like the boss says, “lacking in imagination”. How do I improve in this area?
Stale
These people are a purposeful lot, with a lot of things going on in their minds. It may appear as if they are stressed out and cannot free their minds of work. However, that is not the case at all. They combine work and play, and enjoy every moment of it. Those without a purpose can find work dull and boring, which is why they need to look for other things that occupy their minds and time. This way, they can produce “slipshod” work because they want to get over with it as soon as possible.
The Bottom Line: The first place to start is to either love what you are doing or find a job that you will love. Once that happens, you will always find yourself a few step ahead of others, constantly gathering new information, as well as staying flexible and open to explore new ways to do your job. You will also learn when to say “no” to other opportunities, even if they are attractive, in order to stay on course. This way, you will be most focused on getting the best results.
Powerful Questions: What is your current attitude towards work? How can you improve this outlook? What will push you to do your best? What behaviour will drive you to do this?

--Sharpening people master skills
I have been brought up in a family that believes in high standards, which is why I got top grades in school and university. However, now in a working environment, I find that I am not getting the same measure of success like before, and even have people who are openly against me. Even the bosses, while happy with my performance, do not compliment me when it comes to my work relationships, customers and suppliers included. The irony of this is they are compromising on standards and getting away with it. It is really hard to reconcile myself to the fact that good work ethics do not pay at the end. I am left wondering whether I should discard my beliefs and be like them; carefree, compromising and even irresponsible. What do you think?
No Nonsense Guy
I have one belief: “too much of anything, no matter how good it is, is bad”. In your case, the good virtue of high standards and quality are working against you. You need to bear in mind that it is not the virtue that has become unnecessary, but your attitude that comes attached to it. You have become too focused on your beliefs, and by doing that, you have stopped being mindful about the details of people, events and circumstances around you. So you make mistakes, which puts you on the losing side.
The Bottom Line: Change your perception of people, especially those you feel negative about. Seek perfection in their imperfections. When you do this, you change the meaning you have attached to them. This will lighten your load of responsibility and pressure, making you less serious, more compromising and begin to seek ways to please yourself rather than bulldozing your way through to prove your point. Metaphorically, you need to widen your personal boundaries so it includes more people instead of leaving everybody out. Wouldn’t this make you and the world a happier place?
Powerful Questions: Distinguish the beliefs that are causing you so much misery? What can the new interpretations be without you giving up on these beliefs? What needs to happen for you to do this? What are the upsides of this?

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