SmallBusinessNewz

I made the craziest discovery recently, and decided I just had to share…A while back I was about to hop on a plane. So I was in the little airport shop looking for a fresh book or magazine to read. On a whim, I decided I wanted to work a few logic puzzles.

As a kid in elementary school, I was put in the special “smart kids” program. And one of our tasks each week was to do a packet of all different kinds of puzzles. Rhebus, word seek, fill in the blank, you name it. And there was always a logic puzzle in there.

These quickly became my favorite. Even into college I would periodically buy a book of logic puzzles. But that day in the airport, I probably hadn’t looked at one in 15 years.

I grabbed a puzzle mag and happily set to work on an easy one. It took a bit to get back in the groove, but before I knew it, I had completed two easier puzzles and was starting on a really complicated one.

If you’re not familiar with logic puzzles, these are the puzzles where they give you a chart of squares divided into 3 or more sections. One section might be people’s first names, another their last names, another what they do for a living, and so on.

Then, based on a series of written clues, you have to figure out who has which fist and last names and what they do for work. Sounds easy, but as the puzzles get bigger they become really hard.

They only give you a limited number of clues…Say 8. And the clues can be pretty basic, like, “Bob’s last name is not Smith, and he is not a painter”. Or, “Neither Sandy, nor the person with the last name Jones, is a cook.”

You have to use your powers of deduction and reasoning, and your ability to organize the information, to figure out the final solution.

Well, as I was sitting there working on the hardest puzzle, I suddenly realized I was using the exact same part of my brain I use for marketing planning!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a knack for taking lots of different, seemingly unrelated info and pulling it together in a way that makes sense. It’s a skill that’s served me really well as a writer, speaker, manager and business owner.

And I’ve found it especially helpful as a marketing consultant because I often have to look at lots of different parts and pieces of a business—or their marketing—and find ways to make it all work together.

When I was younger, I took it for granted that everyone could do this sort of thing. Now I know that’s not the case.

But I never understood why I could do this sort of thing naturally…Until now.

So if you have trouble thinking about the big picture. Or easily get overwhelmed by too many details. Logic puzzles might help.

Even if they don’t, they’re certainly a fun way to give your brain a workout. And that’s never a bad thing.

You can find puzzle books, and even books with just logic puzzles, in bookstores or with a quick online search. Just start with the easiest puzzles so you don’t get frustrated. And be sure to use a pencil.

If you’re a fan of logic puzzles already, I’d love to know if you have a similar skill set.

And if you decide to give one a try, come back here and let me know what you think.

Please do post a comment.