Contrarianism

“What if I do the opposite?” Tim Ferriss

Contrarianism might be one of the tools that I use the most. I am constantly asking:

• What if we did the opposites?
• What if we turned this inside out?
• What if we turned this upside down?
• What if we did this in the reverse order?
• What if we started at the end?
• And many other variations. 

Developing Contrarian Thinking 

I’ve been told that it is a product of my undergraduate education. I’m not sure if that is causation or correlation. Does Colorado College train contrarians or attract contrarians? Probably both.

I like contrarian thinking because while humans aren’t natural systems thinkers, they are great at finding the choke points in systems and pushing the wrong way. Contrary thinking might sound like the easy way to correct this tendency (it can be), but I think it does an even better job of deconstructing the system, enhancing systems thinking. 

Rules & Constraints

I’m a rule follower, and I hate getting into trouble, which doesn’t seem to keep me from pushing boundaries. 

One of the bigger revelations in my life is that I made many of my own rules up—rules about relationships, ownership, career, education, leadership, etc. I carried a lot of scripts from my family, my formative years, the people I associated with, and the culture I grew up in. 

Understanding what law is, versus a policy, versus a rule, versus a norm (right & wrong), versus mores (right & rude) is important. These are cultural constraints. Some of them have tribal or biblical roots, while others are niceties. It would help if you understood your constraints and what boundaries you’re flirting with. 

Constraints act similarly. Projects are bound by timelines, resources, desired outcomes, and the laws of the universe. Constraints bound what is possible.

Working with/around rules and constraints is where creativity occurs, and in many cases, creativity will improve your outcomes.