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Isaac Asimov was a prolific writer who wrote or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. Asimov wrote science fiction and was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers during his lifetime. To match the number of novels, letters, essays and other writings Asimov produced in his lifetime, you would have to write a full-length novel every two weeks for 25 years. How was Asimov able to have so many good ideas? Here are the tactics and strategies he used.

How did Isaac Asimov manage to be so hugely productive?

Source: Medium22 December 2016

THINKING: B-brainstorming, C-critical thinking, D-diversity, F-framework, I-innovation, L-list, S-strategy

4-star: Excellent

Isaac Asimov was a prolific writer who wrote or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. His books have been published in 9 of the 10 major categories of the Dewey Decimal Classification. Asimov wrote science fiction and, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers during his lifetime.

To match the number of novels, letters, essays and other writings Asimov produced in his lifetime, you would have to write a full-length novel every two weeks for 25 years. How was Asimov able to have so many good ideas? Here are the tactics and strategies he used.

Now that you know, get moving.

Thinking | Teaching | TalkingDr Arjun Rajagopalan

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Never stop learning: Keep a program of self-education in progress at all times. • To have good ideas, we need to consume good ideas. • Learning is an antidote to the fear of being caught out on

a point that to someone knowledgeable in the subject would be a ludicrously simple one.

If stuck, change tracks: Simply leave the task and go on to any of the other projects that you have on tap. • The brain works in mysterious ways. By stepping aside,

finding other projects and actively ignoring something, our subconscious creates space for ideas to grow.

Don’t give in to self doubt — the fear of giving shape to ideas. Once we bring something into the world, it’s forever naked to rejection and criticism. • All of us have ideas.The difference between Asimov and

the rest of us is that we reject our ideas before giving them a chance.

Lower your standards — give up perfectionism. • Trying to get everything right the first time is a big mistake.

You don’t have to make the best in the world on every try. • True confidence is about pushing boundaries, failing

miserably, and having the strength to stand back up again.

Keep bringing out more stuff — making more things as a cure for perfectionism. • Create multiple items instead of focusing on one “perfect”

piece. It hurts less when something flops. • Diversity is insurance of the mind.