4 unusual frameworks to get you ahead of 90% of creators

There are 207 million content creators in the world...

That's a lot.

And the number is going up and not including other creatives, such as designers or writers more generally.

That's awesome because I believe that the world is a better place thanks to this global creative activity.

But this also means that it is more and more challenging to stand out.

This is a topic that's close to my heart: standing out and thriving as a creator.

Build a lifestyle of freedom while doing what you love.

I am still on this journey myself, but I already make a living doing what I love: scientific research. This has been and still is a constant battle. It is tough to exert this profession and make a living out of it.

But I am there now, enjoying this lifestyle after all these years of hard work and big sacrifices.

Thus I am writing this newsletter and building other projects to make a more direct impact. Helping you reach this stage of freedom, sharing what I've learned and still learning every day.

And, let's be honest, because I love creating.

Enough rambling, it's time to get to the topic of this week!

What can we do to stand out as creatives?

I developed already a good list in a previous newsletter. But I want to go further and share something I've been exploring recently: thinking frameworks.

Why?

Because if you use those problem-solving thinking frameworks, you can carve your uniqueness and stand out from the crowd.

How?

Those thinking frameworks are powerful tools. Tools for generating creative solutions and developing a unique perspective.

They provide a structured approach to problem-solving that can help you break free from mediocre content and develop ideas that level up your game.

As a professional (or aspiring) creator, you can't only rely on inspiration. It is essential to explore ideas and let your mind go free. But this has to be supported by strong systems and tools.

I believe that's the only path now.

I tried without and it doesn't work if you want to reach that freedom, connect with your audience and give them value.

Therefore, I want to introduce you to four thinking frameworks that can help you unlock your uniqueness as a creator: systems, futures, design, and critical thinking.

Systems thinking is all about understanding how different parts of a system interact and affect each other.

By taking a holistic approach to problem-solving, you can identify new and creative solutions that you might have missed otherwise.

To elaborate more on how systems thinking can help find and develop uniqueness for a creator, here is how you could approach it:

1. Understand the problem and the current situation by conducting research and analyzing the existing data (feedback, analytics...).

2. Identify the key interdependencies between different parts of the problem. This can be done by using techniques such as cause-and-effect diagrams, system maps, or flow charts.

3. Look for opportunities and untapped needs that can be addressed by your unique approach. This can be done by conducting user research, analyzing industry trends, or looking for gaps in existing solutions.

4. Develop a unique and holistic approach that takes into account the problem, the current situation, the key interdependencies, and the opportunities and untapped needs.

5. Consider the impact of the solution on the audience. This can be done by testing and getting feedback from the users of your solution. Think of beta testers for an online course for example.

6. Test, evaluate, and iterate by conducting user testing, collecting feedback, and analyzing the results. Based on the feedback, you can make adjustments and improve your solution.

This might sound a bit abstract. But the main idea is to expand your perspective outside of the usual boundaries you have set yourself to think about the situation you want to solve (for you or your audience).

Futures thinking is about exploring and imagining different possible futures. Hence the plural (no, it's not a typo).

This can help you develop a unique perspective on the world and identify new and exciting opportunities for your creations.

It is a proactive approach that helps to anticipate and prepare for potential future changes, events, and challenges.

Here are a few ways in which futures thinking can help you find your uniqueness:

1. Anticipating change to develop a unique perspective on the future, and identify opportunities for innovation and creativity.

2. Exploring different scenarios to gain a deeper understanding of the future, and develop an original vision of potential future developments.

3. Favouring Innovation by thinking proactively about the future, identifying potential challenges, and developing innovative solutions to address them.

4. Developing long-term thinking by considering the long-term impact of your work. This will help to take more risks and follow unconventional paths that will make you stand out.

5. Encouraging adaptability to be more responsive to future developments, can help you to find your unique style and voice.

We can't predict the future. But we can explore the futures and find a unique path for our growth.

Design thinking is a human-centered problem-solving approach involving empathy, experimentation, and iteration.

By putting yourself in your audience's shoes, you can create more meaningful and impactful solutions that resonate with them.

Here are a few ways in which design thinking can help you find your uniqueness:

1. Empathy, is to develop an innovative perspective on the problem and come up with solutions that are tailored to the user's needs.

2. Iteration. by continually testing and refining your ideas, you will find what makes your approach unique and make it more prominent in your work and communication.

3. Experiment with different ideas and solutions to discover new ways of solving problems and creating solutions. Also develops your style.

4. Collaboration with others and seeking out diverse perspectives to generate new and innovative ideas.

The key point here is to focus on the audience with empathy. A more delicate and powerful skill than it seems.

The last framework we will see today but not the least.

Critical thinking is all about evaluating and refining your ideas. By being intentional and analytical, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses of your ideas and make improvements that will make them even more impactful.

A common mistake is to repeat the same things during your practice. But with a high focus and setting an intention before, you will achieve greater results.

It is an essential skill for any creative person because it helps to evaluate, refine, and improve their work.

Here is how critical thinking can help you develop your uniqueness:

1. Analyzing and evaluating your work as well as the work of others. This can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as areas for improvement. And carve your unique style.

2. Identifying and solving problems in your work to come up withginal solutions to address them. The best is to find a fancy name for it. High branding value.

3. Considering multiple perspectives to gain a deeper understanding of your work and develop uniqueness.

4. Reflecting and learning from experience, and applying the learning to improve your work.

5. Encouraging experimentation and exploration, which can help you to find your own unique style and voice.

Critical thinking is the foundation of any progress. To become great, you must analyse honestly what you produce and iterate to make it better.

Combining the four thinking frameworks - systems, futures, design, and critical thinking - can help you find your uniqueness as a creator by providing a well-rounded approach to problem-solving and idea generation.

Here's how you can do it:

1. Start with systems thinking: take a holistic approach to your work by understanding how all the parts of a system interact and affect each other. This will give you a bigger picture of your creative process and help you identify new and creative solutions.

2. Use futures thinking: Imagine different possible futures and use that to develop a unique perspective on the world. This can help you identify new and exciting opportunities for your creations.

3. Apply design thinking: Empathize with your audience and use a human-centered approach to problem-solving. This will help you create more meaningful and impactful solutions that resonate with them. Thus build trust which fuels any (good) business.

4. Refine with critical thinking: Be intentional and analytical about your work, identify the strengths and weaknesses of your ideas and make improvements that will make them even more impactful.

The key is to be intentional, open-minded, and persistent in your efforts to unlock your creativity and unique perspective.

Too abstract?

Let's imagine you are a cook, a chef, but without real recognition for your creative food (your mum doesn't count, sorry).

You manage to get an opportunity to show your art at an event organized by a friend.

You know that if you are doing well, people will talk about your food and it may kickstart your career and give you all the freedom you want to create new recipes. Instead of doing basic stuff in a subpar restaurant.

Therefore, you want to create a new recipe.

Something unique.

How can you use the combination of the four frameworks we discussed to come up with a unique and delicious creation that will make you stand out from other cooks and launch your business?

Here's what you could do:

1. Systems thinking: you start by considering all the components of a meal and how they interact, from ingredients to cooking methods to presentation. This gives you a bigger picture of the recipe and helps you identify new and creative solutions, such as incorporating different cuisines or cooking methods.

2. Futures thinking: you imagine different possible futures for your recipe, such as incorporating new ingredients or cooking methods. This gives you a unique perspective and opens up new opportunities for your creation.

3. Design thinking: it's important to empathize with your audience, the ones who will (hopefully) enjoy your recipe. By using design thinking, you put yourself in your guests' shoes and think about a recipe that resonates with them and meets their taste or even guides them to new heights.

4. Critical thinking: finally, you can use critical thinking to evaluate and refine your ideas. You analyze your recipe, identify strengths and weaknesses, and make improvements to make it even more impactful. This intentional and analytical approach to your creative work will help you create recipes that stand out in the ocean of mediocre food.

See how this can be applied to any kind of creative work?

With a little bit of effort and the right approach, anyone can use these frameworks to unlock their creativity and uniqueness.

It is both a matter of changing your approach to existing and new situations and making it a habit to try one or several of these frameworks when you start working on a new project.