Edward de Bono Quotes - Page 5

A person who knows all the answers, has an opinion on everything, has a certainty backed up by rational argument, has very little possibility of further progress. Such a person is unlikely to walk away from a discussion with anything more than a reaffirmation of how right he or she has been all along.

This new meta-system is very much in favor of the self, but a self that is based on a proper sense of dignity, not on an inflated ego. A person who dare not admit he is wrong inflates his ego but weakens his self.

We still seek to solve conflicts with 'judgement' instead of designing the way forwards.

Creativity and lateral thinking have exactly the same basis as humour.

I think there is a danger with young people of being dependent in the sense that they don't acquire any identity or self-image of themselves as thinkers.

Some people drift along like a cork on a river, feeling that they cannot do anything except drift, moment to moment. This is an attitude of mind. Everyone can be constructive even in tiny ways.

Creativity is a great motivator because it mades people interested in what they are doing.

In the future, instead of striving to be right at a high cost, it will be more appropriate to be flexible and plural at a lower cost. If you cannot accurately predict the future then you must flexibly be prepared to deal with various possible futures.

There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all.

Sometimes the situation is only a problem because it is looked at in a certain subjective, negative, ungrateful way.

In the art world, creativity involves aesthetic sensibility, emotional resonance and a gift for expression.

People should realize we're jerks just like them.

I'm a very loyal and unreliable friend.

Everyone has the right to doubt everything as often as he pleases and the duty to do it at least once. No way of looking at things is too sacred to be reconsidered. No way of doing things is beyond improvement.

The concept of logical thinking is selection and this is brought about by the processes of acceptance and rejection. Rejection is the basis of logical thinking.

It is historical continuity that maintains most assumptions, not repeated assessment of their validity.

The solid wealth of insurance companies and the success of those who organsie gambling are some indication of the profits to be derived from the efficient use of chance.

I'm in love with this country called "America." I'm a huge fan of America. I'm one of those annoying fans - you know, the ones that read the cd notes and follow you into bathrooms and ask you all kinds of annoying questions about why you didn't live up to that. I'm that kind of fan. I've read the Declaration of Independence, and I've read the Constitution of the United States, and they are some liner notes, dude.

I think school is a place where thinking should be taught.

Complacency with our traditional judgement based thinking methods is not enough. Our existing thinking habits are excellent just as the rear wheel of a motor car is excellent but not enough. We need to put far more emphasis on creative and design thinking. Judgement and analysis are not enough.

Creativity gives hope that there can be a worthwhile idea.

Although feelings are not supposed to intrude on business discussions, they do anyway - we just disguise them as logic.

Teaching thinking for just five hours to unemployed youngsters increased employment 500 percent.

A characteristic of intuitive solutions and new ideas is that of being obvious once they are discovered.

Creativity can be learned like basketball, which does not mean we will all be NBA stars.