Insights From the Road, September 21, 2001

The following was taken from an electronic newsletter published by Dr. Firestien, on September 6, 2001

Welcome to Insights From The Road, the e-newsletter of creativity from "The Gold Standard of Creativity Training," Roger L. Firestien, Ph.D. Enjoy!

September 21, 2001

On September 11, a colleague and I were working in Washington, D.C. when the hijacked jet slammed into the Pentagon. I will never forget the black plumes of smoke that rose from that huge building. Because we were also working in a federal building, we were evacuated soon after the attack.

My colleague, David Gonzalez, and I spent Tuesday afternoon watching television in our hotel rooms and drinking coffee in the few street cafes still open. It was a beautiful September day -- such a contrast to the terrible destruction that had occurred earlier. After two days, we managed to rent a car and drove back to Buffalo.

About a week later, I decided to write this installment of "Insights from the Road." I'd like to share some ways to deal with this terrible event.

1. Deal with your grief. Use whatever spiritual practice works for you to sustain you through this time. Identify and use the things that help you cope.

2. Support each other. Studies have shown that close-knit, supportive communities actually increased the longevity of their members. (Want more info? Email me at roger@rogerfirestien.com.) Don't be afraid to ask for help, and be open to giving as generously as possible in return.

3. Remain flexible. A client we spoke to recently said she and her staff were doing many things differently since September 11. According to her, the creative problem solving techniques she's learned from me have really helped her and her staff be more flexible, and yes, more creative.

4. Remain open to new ideas. There's a saying in creativity studies that every act of creation is first an act of destruction. We've all experienced this horrible act of destruction. After dealing with our grief, we might begin to see the acts of creation, and even re-creation, that are possible. There are new ideas out there that will be helpful. Notice them -- and use them.

5. Keep your personal vision of the future strong and alive. If you haven't written down your vision for your future, write it now and affirm it every day. The power of our founding fathers' vision built this nation, and it's your personal vision that has taken you this far in life. On earlier trips to Washington, I've seen the Declaration of Independence. It's a manifesto for creativity for our nation.

Finally, be sure to take action on your vision. Get moving as soon as your emotions allow you. As Joel Barker said in his video "The Power of Vision": Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes time. Vision with action can change the world. Let's use our creativity to change our world into a much better place.

Sincerely,

Roger