The Do-It-Yourself Lobotomy: Open Your Mind to Greater Creative Thinking

by Tom Monahan

An Adweek Book
Master the techniques that top companies use to spark creativity
In today's business environment, gaining the competitive edge through creative and original thinking is a crucial component of brand strategy. Creative leader of advertising Tom Monahan offers a fresh look at the subject, providing hard and fast methods for freeing the mind and inspiring active creativity in oneself and others. His 180-degree Thinking(TM), 100 MPH Method, and other techniques he employs in his creative consulting practice are easy-to-use strategies for unleashing new ideas and facilitating creative product development, advertising, and marketing plans. This book has the added benefit of Monahan's experience of using these methods at A-list client companies.

Genres: Self Help, Business, Psychology, Creative, Nonfiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published March 8, 2002

Reviews

[Robert Geoghegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read to help with getting your creative juices flowing.

[Michael Di · Rating 3 out of 5]

contains a lot of incredibly practical creative thinking strategies that work well and fast. unfortunately while half this book contains very useful information in that vein, the other half is just the author complimenting himself for being so, so good at creative thinking. still worth the read but the first 100 pages are mostly useless

[Kelsea]

The Do-It Yourself Lobotomy by Tom Monahan was an interesting handbook packed with necessary skills everyone should employ. This easygoing book teaches readers to become better creative thinkers. From the Rewards of Great Ideas to the Creativity versus Talent, its novelty is positively practical. The author creates a playful ambience when explaining his philosophy. So, the readers are never reaching for that snooze button. This book can be read at any angle. No, need to read in chronological order. I thought the author’s words were quite genius. He exceedingly enlightens his readers with a variety of thinking strategies. Believing acts of creativity are what brings resolutions to problems. For instance, in one of his chapters, he believes individuals should believe in the afterlife of a great idea; because these ideas are living existence of our constant progressing society. They are the embodiment of the generations yet to come. Steve Jobs was an idea-maker who pursued them. He created technological devices to enrich the lives of others. It is this kind of advice that deserves to be read! Who knows maybe you will become a better thinker than Monahan himself.

[Zears · Rating 3 out of 5]

To achieve optimal ideas it’s all a matter of continuing to find better ideas to continuously enhance our creative conscious for self-fulfillment. Even though Monahan’s methods might seem impractical or just plain weird there is evidence that it really works. . For this to happen applying rules we aren’t necessarily used to, like brainstorming before an essay, retrieving those great ideas will come naturally faster. Which Monahan highlights in this book which is basically a guide to become a more conscious creative thinker.

[Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I likey a lot... one of the best overarching creativity how-to books with techniques/principles that stick with me just about every time I'm in creation mode (or doing it well, at least...).

[Jayjay]

It was a good read, very practical and methodical ways to increase creativity