If you can solve a nagging problem, it doesn’t matter where your ideas come from. So don’t limit yourself. Of course you’ll do a lot of your own thinking, and you’ll quite possibly ask experts, or the same trusted colleagues, family or friends you always ask. Remember though that it’s extremely hard to avoid thinking in ruts, and you and I aren’t the only ones who fall into this trap. Your best friend, your boss, your partner, your workmate, your mother – they’re thinking in their own ruts too.
Suppose, whenever you’re troubled by a problem, you always ask your partner’s advice. It’s true that this will help nudge you out of your personal thinking rut, but it will only nudge you into theirs. So now ...