Things Are Easier Than They Seem (Lateral Thinking)

We are so used to thinking in one particular way about what is happening to us that thinking in a different way seems very complicated, even almost impossible. The thing is, most of the time, this mindset is more of an obstacle than a shortcut for us when it comes to doing things. To avoid this becoming a habit, we will show you a new way to solve problems and challenges. This new way is called lateral thinking.

The term “lateral thinking” was coined by psychologist Edward de Bono to explain an alternative way of thinking. It consists in tearing oneself free from the logical and linear form of reasoning we usually have. So that we can look for original and creative solutions to any problem or situation.

In this article we will take a look at lateral thinking, the logic behind mental frameworks, and give you a series of puzzles you can try to solve. Do you take the challenge?

Lateral thinking: Linear thinking as a routine

We are all used to logical reasoning. This means thinking in a linear form and solving problems in sequence, moving forward step by step until you solve it. Ever since you were little, you have learned that life consists of complex puzzles that you must solve using your full potential in a world full of mazes.

It is obvious that life is not always easy, and that most of the time your mind is a puzzle you have to learn to put together. Or other times, stop trying. We are all used to trying to find an explanation for everything around us.

In fact  , you fill in all the facts you are missing based on the way you interpret the world  when you are faced with a situation where you do not have enough information .  This will also happen based on the type of learning you have created from all your experiences.

The truth is that this linear mindset can sometimes lead to problems when you do not know where to look anymore. No one has told you that there are more roads than the one that goes in a straight line. In fact, you can go in any direction, and if you do, you will also stimulate your brain.

To awaken lateral thinking

As you can see, logic says that you go from one step to another. In this way, you move closer and closer to the answer. But in lateral thinking, you have to abandon the logical way of thinking by solving problems that are easier than it seems.

With the help of this new way of thinking, you can stop thinking in the linear and step-by-step way. Instead, think of these as actions that you must take on a regular basis. And not all solutions are as difficult to find as you might think. It’s because you think too much about what’s there and not enough about what might be there. Give it a try!

The rules of the game

Below you will find a game  that can increase your intelligence and creativity in solving problems and using lateral thinking. Just read the instructions below to get started:

• Read the riddles very well.
• Choose any you like best.
• DO NOT look for any information on how to fix it.
• If you already knew the solution, try helping someone else solve it. But do not tell them the solution directly. Help others reach a solution on their own.
• Have fun, comment and join our social media pages.

The man in the elevator

“A man lives on the tenth floor of a building. Every day he takes the elevator down to the ground floor to go to work or shop. When he returns, he always takes the elevator up to the seventh floor. And then goes up the stairs the last three floors of his apartment on the tenth floor. Why is he doing this? ”

Death on a meadow

“A man is lying dead on a meadow. Next to him is an unopened package. There are no other creatures in the meadow. How did he die? ”

A little hint – the man knew he was going to die when he approached the place.

The man at the bar

A man walks into a bar and asks the bartender for a glass of water. The bartender bends over to look for something, pulls out a gun, and points it at the man who just asked him for water. The man says “thank you” and goes out.

Egypt

Anthony and Cleopatra lie dead on the floor of an Egyptian villa. There is broken glass near them. The only witness to this was the watchdog. There are no marks on their bodies and they were not poisoned. How did they die?

The blue-eyed islanders

“There are 100 inhabitants on an island. They all have either blue or brown eyes. They can see everyone else’s eye color, but not their own. They are not allowed to talk to each other about it and there are no mirrors. And remember, there is a law that says that anyone who finds out they have blue eyes must leave the island at 8.00 the next morning. All the islanders have the same ability to reason and all are equally logical.

One day someone comes to visit the island and while looking at everyone they say without pointing to anyone in particular: “It is so wonderful to see at least one other person with blue eyes after such a long time at sea!” What consequences does this comment have for the inhabitants of the island? ”

Monk on a path

A monk leaves his monastery at sunrise and walks along a path for three hours, up to the top of a mountain. He stops to rest and sleep. At the same time the next morning he goes down from the mountain to return to his monastery.

It is possible that it does not take as long to recover, and it does not matter if he did not go at the same speed or how many times he stopped to rest. But the monk passed the same place on the path at exactly the same time, with a day of difference. Why?

Solutions

The man in the elevator

The man is a dwarf. Since he can not reach the button to the 10th floor, he presses the button for the seventh and then goes up the stairs. However, he has no problem going down because the button for the bottom floor is further down.

Death on a meadow

The man jumped from a plane and his parachute did not open.

The man at the bar

He had hiccups. The bartender understood the way he was talking and pulled the gun to give him a shock. It worked and cured the hiccups so that the man no longer needed the water.

Egypt

Anthony and Cleopatra are two colorful fish, they lived in an aquarium that was crushed by a dog.

The blue-eyed islanders

All those with blue eyes will leave the island.

If there was only one person with blue eyes, the others knew because the remaining 99% would have brown eyes and that person would then leave.

If there were two people with blue eyes (A) and (B), the first could believe that the visitors were talking about the other person and that only one person had blue eyes. The second person would think the same about the first person. When they see that neither of them leaves the island on the first day, both would realize that they also have blue eyes so they both have to leave it on the second day.

The same would happen if there are three (A), (B) and (C). This is because the first person would see that the other two do not leave the island, so this person must also have blue eyes. That would mean that all three had to leave on the third day. After first seeing that the other two did not leave the second day.

And it continues until all the blue-eyed inhabitants leave, no matter how many there are.

The monk on a path

To answer this riddle, imagine that there are two monks leaving at the same time from opposite points. If they follow the same path, they will have to meet each other at some point. Now that seems obvious, right?

This is much easier than you might think. The point is not to be fooled by the pitfalls your mind sets and to start seeing things from new perspectives. Lateral thinking can help you with that. Give a new way of thinking a chance!