Lateral Thinking

Lateral simply means "sideways". Lateral thinking is approaching problems from different perspectives and creatively finding new solutions. Lateral thinking is the opposite of vertical thinking where the approach is sequential and step by step. In Lateral thinking we connect different facts and unrelated ideas to develop a solution.

There is an interesting story of a farmer's lateral thinking. The farmer planted his crops in a zigzag manner instead of straight rows. The farmer had more yield because the zigzag pattern allowed more sunlight to reach the plants and more water was retained by the soil.

Another way to improve lateral thinking is to expose ourselves to diverse perspectives and experiences. By reading widely, traveling to new places, and talking to people from different backgrounds, we can broaden our horizons and develop a more expansive mindset.