Rapid Listing

Rapid listing is a brainstorming method where based on a prompt you must come up with and write down as many ideas as you can come up with without thinking critically or judging them in a set time limit. This technique allows me to overcome my habits of overthinking and being a perfectionist which allows for more personal and unexpected themes to surface. After each list has been made I can sort through and group any common themes and think about further exploring / developing these ideas.

Rapid listing has helped me see what themes I naturally gravitate to such as happiness, sports, and creativity. Working under this 1 minute time limit forced me to start writing instinctively which helped overcome my tendency to overthink and allowed for more personal themes such as, skiing, coffee, conversations with friends, and school memories to be brought up. This way of brainstorming has given me a pool of personal themes that I can go over and pick a couple to develop upon.