Ever been in a meeting where your brain feels like it’s on a 10-second delay… and everyone else is firing off ideas like they drank six espressos?

If you’ve ever felt like you’re thinking slower than the pace demands, you’re not alone. And more importantly — you’re not stuck that way.

In this post, I’ll share three powerful strategies to help you think faster, clearer, and more creatively when the pressure’s on.

When you’re on the spot, guessing your way through a problem rarely works. What does? Having a mental model you can trust. One I often use is based on identifying the real cause of a problem — not just the symptoms.

Most problems fall into one of three categories:
    •    Behavioural Causes – These are driven by motivation, ability, or missing prompts.
    •    Environmental Causes – Think workplace layout, tools, or communication flow.
    •    Logistical Causes – Outdated (or non-existent) processes that are slowing things down.

The moment you can diagnose what kind of problem you’re facing, you can leap into smarter solutions without second-guessing yourself.

Your brain is an association machine — it just needs the right trigger. That’s where ideation prompts come in. When you feel stuck, ask questions like:
    •    “What could we combine?”
    •    “What could we reverse?”
    •    “What could we eliminate or adapt?”

These simple cues unlock creative thinking fast — and the more you use them, the more naturally they come.

🧠 Bonus: I’ve memorised a full set of idea prompts that I share in my Idea Maverick program. Once you’ve got a few up your sleeve, you’ll never stare at a blank flipchart again.

Yes, creativity is a muscle — and just like any muscle, it gets stronger with reps. Here’s a killer daily practice:
Every morning, write down 20 ideas in 5 minutes.
Seriously. Pen and paper. No overthinking.

Start with a question like:
    •    “20 ideas to improve our client experience.”
    •    “20 ways to get better results from meetings.”
    •    “20 ways to bring in more leads without more budget.”

The magic? The first few ideas will be obvious. The gold comes around idea 16. Trust me.

Sounds strange, I know — but nasal breathing activates the vagus nerve, calming your nervous system and improving focus.
It’s what I use when I’m hang gliding under extreme pressure (or about to present to a boardroom full of sceptics).

Try it before your next big moment. You’ll feel the shift.

Instead of pushing for full approval, focus on securing the next logical step. A simple question like:

• “Would it be ridiculous to run a quick, low-cost validation before we go further?”

(Okay, maybe “ridiculous” isn’t the best word, but you get the idea.)

These are just a few of the strategies I cover in my Idea Maverick program, where I teach professionals how to generate commercial ideas, validate, and sell ideas like a pro. If you want the full framework, check it out here: http://ideamaverick.com/
Next time you pitch, make it easy for them to say yes. Or at least, make it hard for them to say no.

Cheers,
Nils
Founder, Keynote Speaker, Author


PS: Whether you’re looking for an innovation agency to improve your product with innovation, create an innovation disruption, or hack your business growth, we’re here to help.

Nils Vesk is a Four-Time Author and International Keynote Speaker. Nils has worked globally with over 200 bluechip companies including 3M, American Express, Canon, Caltex, Microsoft, Nestle´, IBM, Fuji Xerox, PWC, HP and Pfizer.