197 Quotes by Edward De Bono

Unfortunately, our existing traditional thinking habits insist that you must attack something and show it to be bad before you can suggest a change. It is more difficult to acknowledge that something is excellent and then to ask for change because although it is excellent, it is not enough.

Most executives, many scientists, and almost all business school graduates believe that if you analyze data, this will give you new ideas. Unfortunately, this belief is totally wrong. The mind can only see what it is prepared to see.

Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations.

Complexity creates confusion, simplicity focus.

People should realize we're jerks just like them.

Traditional thinking is all about "what is" Future thinking will also need to be about what can be.

In a sense, words are encyclopedias of ignorance because they freeze perceptions at one moment in history and then insist we continue to use these frozen perceptions when we should be doing better.

Asking a question is the simplest way of focusing thinking...asking the right question may be the most important part of thinking.

What the joke displays is a switch in perception. This is important in changing the way we think.