CAN OUR DREAMS PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES? – A MAGICIAN FOR YOUR DREAMS

Abstract

Can our dreams offer us meaningful guidelines for creative problem-solving techniques? This paper attempts to develop new creative problem-solving methods based on dreams. Dream diaries of participants from different creative industries were incubated to develop relevant themes in their dreams which act as tailor-made creative strategies for problem-solving. Using grounded theory, it was found that dreams-based strategies include combination, breakage, symbolism, opposition, substitution, incorporation, disposal, against all odds, amplification, emotionalization, adoption, nothingness, limitation, procrastination, reframing, and outsourcing. These strategies explain different thinking processing for different challenges in this increasingly complex, volatile, and dynamic business world. Further, how do dreams or the subconscious mind develop the required themes for the respective incubated problems can be studied.