Book-Wormholes (The ONE Book, p. 47)

Sometimes we just need a fresh place to spawn new ideas from. And sometimes it’s very helpful to get lost down a rabbit hole (in this case… we call it wormholes).

  1. Start with your “Curious Question” – In what ways can I/we…
  2. Grab a book (it could be a novel, a textbook, a dictionary… any book will do – it just has to have words).
  3. Next, open the book to a random page and blindly put your finger on any sentence on that page.
  4. Write down all the nouns and verbs you see in that sentence as if you were making the headings of columns in a table. Beneath each of those words, brainstorm any words that come to mind when you say the word out loud. Don’t judge your words… just free flow here! See the example below.
  5. Now scan over your list of words that originated from the words you found in your book. Do any of them connect in some way to your Curious Question?
  6. Pick a few and start going down the wormhole with those connections to see what new ideas can possibly come to life!

EXAMPLE:

  1. Curious Question: “In what ways can I build my professional network”?
  2. Book grabbed: The Maxwell Daily Reader by John C. Maxwell
  3. Sentence: “There’s nothing like watching your time here on earth run out to help get your priorities straight.” (p. 190).
  4. Completed table:
Watching Time Earth Run Help Priorities
TV
Glasses
Recording
Video
Learning
Observing
Accountable 		Watch
Memories
Urgency
Patience
Wasted
Well-spent
Precious
Clock
Stop Watch 		Planet
Dirt
Soil
Grow
Plants
Seeds
Seedling
Environment
Sun 		Fast
Pace
Away
Lead
Oversee
Exercise
Speed
Health 		Support
Aid
Carry
Teach
Guide
Directions 		Important
Options
Time
Choose
Work
Checklist
Plan
Planner

 

  1. Words that might connect to my Curious Question: Video, learning, observing, well-spent, stop watch, grow, seeds, environment, lead, exercise, support, teach, options, work, plan…
  2. Possible ideas and solutions: video chats, observing what different networking groups do to connect people, seek out high-value networking opportunities to make the most out of my time, speed dating-style of networking events, grow relationships – not just connections, plant seeds with new business cards, lead a networking event, join a new workout class near my office, ask for support/help from my existing circle with meeting new people, offer a workshop to teach people about something I hold knowledge on, consider all my options for meeting people, work to build up my reputation and brand, and come up with a plan that includes goals and a timeline.

And now, friends… I have a list of wormholes to explore further and no doubt – somewhere in there is more than one viable answer to my Curious Question.