Monday lunchtime and I’m not melting for once. In fact, the sun is behind a blanket of beige clouds today. I’m pleased about that. I love the summer but the heat has been mad. Which sort of leads me to what I’m going to write about. Thinking backwards.
There is a well-known thought experiment called the “Inversion Test” where you think in the opposite direction to help you spot common pitfalls. It’s a tool I use all the time.
First though, I like thought experiments. They don’t cost anything, you can drink a nice brew while carrying out an experiment and you get to use your brain for something other than normal life drama.
It’s easy to write off thought experiments as nerdy or pointless. But when it comes to trying to figure out a trip, make a decision you’ve been struggling with etc. then the thought experiment idea works well. And the Inversion Test is one of the best.
Why? Well, because let’s think about that trip for a moment. What you do is think of five things you could do to make a proper mess of the trip. Like leaving tickets to the last minute, not bothering to check the weather, failing to book anywhere to eat, or assuming the museum you want to visit is actually open on a Monday. There’s loads.
Once you’ve got at least five, you then simply avoid all of those. The chances are, you’ll have a half-decent trip. As I said, the point of the exercise is to spot the pitfalls. Trying to map for perfection is much harder.
When I sat down to write this column, I didn’t have a clear idea what to write about. I ruminated for a while. Nothing. I looked through my notebook where I jot random things down I could write about. Not much in there that I hadn’t already covered.
I drew a blank. But here’s the thing. In the past, I would have panicked. It would cause me a lot of stress not being able to think of anything to write about. I get a lot of ideas under normal circumstances. So to have none used to be a major drama.
Now? I went and made a brew. And sat idly scrolling through my thoughts. Putting labels on them. All mentally. No writing. Just thinking. Labels like: Done, Possible and Bonkers. Nothing landed. But the basis of an idea formed.
So, I started to think about five things that I definitely wouldn’t write about. Either because I’d already done them, or because they didn’t fit how I write a column. It meant I arrived at the Inversion Test as a column subject in a matter of a few minutes.
I sat there and said: “What would I write about that would be a total failure? Utter rubbish and something I’d never publish?”
And that (drum roll, please) is the Inversion Test in a nutshell.
Now, I know many folk would still be put off using thought experiments. They sound too much like some sort of academic exercise. But believe me, I am far from being an academic. I’ve found a way to use them that works for an ageing, grumpy git like me.
The sun is still behind the clouds. I’m still not melting. And my coffee mug is empty. But this piece is drafted. So, I’ll make a fresh brew and think backwards to find the next topic to write about.