One interesting tool I found way back in the early 1990’s was Roger Von Oech’s Creative Whack Pack.  The Whack Pack is a deck of cards based on his popular creativity building books A Whack on the Side of the Head and A Kick in the seat of the Pants.

I happily own a copy of each of these as well. But one problem always plagued me. I never felt like I understood the Whack Pack. They are fun cards to read and all, but I was missing something because I never felt like I was getting answers. Just more questions.

A picture of me “whacking”

Then along comes the iPhone and subsequently The Whack Pack for iPhone . This awesome version has with it a ‘workshop’ mode that guides you through the process.

To do a workshop, you enter a problem you are having. Simple enough. Then you are dealt 4 cards that will predict your future and you live happily ever after (just kidding ). The 4 cards actually are designed to give you a “whack” in each of their focused areas. By their very nature, whacks are designed to stretch your imagination in new ways so you can see your problem from new and different perspectives.

It may sound a little silly – and it is at times. But we all need a little sillyness now and again to keep creativity flowing.

I presented a problem I was having last nonth to the CWP. And overall, after 20 minutes or so of working on my problem I felt much clearer, relaxed, and optimistic.

Below is a recent workshop I did – complete with typos for your convenience.

Your Issue:

Deciding what my highest priority goal should be

Card 28 – Imagine Others

http://creativethink.com/je3

Creative people I respect:

• Edison - he would say, work night and day with stuff you like doing. Your goal will appear.
• David Gilmore – practice and get drunk now and again. You’ll figure it out
• Da Vinci – take chances – explore new worlds.

Card 11 – Use Your Senses

http://creativethink.com/p1b

I look at the idea of honing in on 1 goal today as a dark, pressure filled event. Sort of like since I take on stuff SO ambitious, I can’t help but fail – at least in some respects.

Not focusing let’s me relieve some pressure since I can always move on to something else.

Maybe I can think of a goal that is both fun and low pressure that involves enjoyment of other senses. Like maybe my one and only goal for June is to make extaordinary food for lunches and dinners.

Or maybe a goal to spend 1 hour a day doing nothing. Just sitting at the park taking in the sounds of people and children playing.

Card 12 – Listen to Your Dreams

http://creativethink.com/4sz

What is dreamlike in my current situation? The images of future pressure, failure, disappointment and thoughts of letting me and others down is just an illusion. Rationally, I know it’s fear, emotionally it is confusing. Just like when you wake from a dream you know there isn’t a creature under the bed. But you are still afraid.

Card 23 – Rearrange

http://creativethink.com/0jn

How can I rearrage my issue?

1. Decide for ALL of June I will have no goal or direction

2. Every time I feel pressure to perform, I stop and review #1

3. I start focusing on the objects I want, not the actions. Do I want a boat? A Mac? What?

Have you tried whacking?

I know many of you have either read Von Oech’s books or use the Whack pack, why not post your opinions below.   Maybe you have some tips for getting more from the books or software.

If you like this post, please consider voting for it on del.icio.us or stumbleupon… you’d be helping your fellow whacker! lol

Seems every time there is a recession, I hear some knucklehead pronouncing that rich people will come to the common mans’ rescue. On the bus the other night I heard a guy loudly pronouncing how Warren Buffet and friends will take heart and donate $2.5 million to every household.

These donations would end the recession and everyone would live happily ever after. Isn’t that sweet?

What insanity.

Back in 1998 I had a similar conversation with a coworker who believed Bill Gates would write a check for $50,000 to every American family. After all, Bill Gates could do that. So he would. Like a chain letter gone bad, this co-worker was counting on it.

I know it can sometimes be fun to dream about windfalls like this. But smart people should never count on them.

When dreaming about your future, most of the dreams should revolve around what YOU will do, not other people. Because you can’t control or predict what others will do. You might not even be able to control what you will do. But at least you have more experience with you.

Face the facts of our circumstance (good or bad) and take action to get what we want. If it’s more money, make the trades in your skills for the money. Your rich uncle Larry may leave all his money to his pet squirrel. And Bill Gates may decide to never write that check – I know I’m still waiting on mine.

Call it writer’s block. Call it burn out. Call it whatever you like. But my desire to write is overshadowed by the weight of writing something meaningful.

Somewhere between the early success of this blog (est. July 2005) and today things changed. I had a lot of fun in the beginning. It was new. I felt more comraderie with other bloggers. And the ideas flowed. I couldn’t wait to post again. Sometimes, I’d write 2-3 a day.

Lately I am lucky if I can squeeze out one per week. What changed? I ask myself that question every day. But I am still not closer to any real answers.

I like writing. I always have. It’s fun. But now it feels like a chore. I don’t want it to be that way.

Since the grand slams of my earlier posts, I wonder if the self-induced pressure of topping those success has gotten to me. Or could it be I’ve just gotten too technical and dry for my own good? What about the dramatic changes in my life – the death of my father – my special needs child – are events to blame? Or maybe it’s a combination of everything… It’s not clear to me, that’s for sure.

Many of you have been around since the first days. You probably know me through my writing better than most. What changes have you noticed? Are the changes better or worse?

New here? Let me ask you an important question. Why are you here? And did you find what you are looking for?

Finally, what topics do you want to see in the coming days, weeks and months?

Thanks for you input,
Brad Isaac