Break creative blocks with lateral thinking

Oblique Strategies

Created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt, these cryptic prompts help overcome creative blocks through lateral thinking.

In one sentence

“Break creative blocks with lateral thinking”

Quick facts

Time required

5–10 minutes

Primary benefit

Creative Problem-Solving

Techniques

13 individual techniques

The core mechanism.

Created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt, these cryptic prompts help overcome creative blocks through lateral thinking.

The science

Where it came from.

Oblique Strategies were created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt in 1975 as a deck of cards to help artists overcome creative blocks. Each card contains a cryptic remark or instruction that encourages lateral thinking. The strategies work by disrupting established patterns of thought and introducing constraints that paradoxically enhance creativity, a phenomenon supported by numerous psychological studies on creative problem-solving.

Techniques

13 techniques, each ready to use.

Each technique is a distinct prompt or operation. Apply them one at a time or combine several for deeper exploration.

Use an old idea

Revisit past solutions in new context

Use an old idea. Consider how a previous solution or concept could be applied to your current challenge in a new way.

State the problem in words as clearly as possible

Articulate the challenge precisely

State the problem in words as clearly as possible. Articulating your challenge precisely might reveal solutions you hadn't considered.

Only one element of each kind

Enforce radical scarcity

Only one element of each kind. Limit yourself to using each type of component only once. How does this constraint change your approach?

What would your closest friend do?

Borrow a trusted perspective

What would your closest friend do? Try to see the problem through someone else's perspective.

Work at a different speed

Change your tempo deliberately

Work at a different speed. If you usually work quickly, slow down dramatically. If you're methodical, try racing through possibilities.

Remove specifics and convert to ambiguities

Find the general principle

Remove specifics and convert to ambiguities. Make your problem more abstract — what general principle are you really dealing with?

Don't be afraid of things because they're easy to do

Embrace the obvious

Don't be afraid of things because they're easy to do. Sometimes the simplest solution is best, even if it seems too obvious.

Ask your body

Trust physical intuition

Ask your body. Pay attention to your physical reactions to different possibilities — they may contain wisdom your conscious mind has missed.

Disconnect from desire

Release attachment to outcomes

Disconnect from desire. Let go of your attachment to particular outcomes and see what emerges when you work without expectations.

Honor thy error as a hidden intention

Find meaning in mistakes

Honor thy error as a hidden intention. Consider that mistakes may actually be pointing you toward an unexpected but valuable direction.

Turn it upside down

Invert your entire perspective

Turn it upside down. Look at your problem from a completely opposite perspective. What new insights emerge?

Do nothing for as long as possible

Let understanding emerge

Do nothing for as long as possible. Sometimes the best action is to wait and let understanding emerge naturally.

Listen to the quiet voice

Pay attention to subtle intuitions

Listen to the quiet voice. Pay attention to your subtle intuitions and gentle insights that might normally be overlooked.

Best practices

How to apply it effectively.

Use this pack when you feel stuck creatively or need a fresh perspective. Draw a single card and commit to following its direction, no matter how strange it may seem. Interpret the strategy in the context of your creative challenge and allow it to guide you in unexpected directions. Don't overthink it — sometimes the most valuable insights come from the most puzzling prompts.

Best use cases

When to reach for this.

When you're creatively blocked and need a random disruption
When working alone and need an external prompt
When conventional creative techniques aren't working
When you want to bypass your habitual thinking patterns

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