Running the virtual mind.

[Chaselation]

My question is. Is this idea mine or not?

The other day I was in a meeting. My boss/plant manager (ENTJ, imagine that) who I'll call John (because thats his name) came up with an idea. The same idea I came up with about ten days before. I wasn't fond of the idea and said nothing. I still came up with it first right? Hold on! How did I come up with this idea? I was emulating what he would think and in doing so arrived at his conclusion and thus his idea. If I had not modeled his thoughts I would never have derived this idea myself.

If you think I'm arrogant understand I've worked with him for 16 years so I have a very good (up to date) version of virtual John running in my head. I can model his thoughts 90% of the time. I don't claim to know him in total just his work persona.

Does anyone else have similar experiences? I generally don't think an idea is truly original unless it was created in the vacuum of my head.

[Lookin4theBestNU]

I would say that it was your idea though it sounds like you have a considerable amount of self-doubt in this department . I have had several instances like this but generally "run things by people" if I think it will come up later. It still happens every now and then but it's frustrating!

[Chaselation]

Originally Posted by Lookin4theBestNU

I would say that it was your idea though it sounds like you have a considerable amount of self-doubt in this department . I have had several instances like this but generally "run things by people" if I think it will come up later. It still happens every now and then but it's frustrating!

But am I modeling or are his thoughts integrated into my own? If it's the former then I'm predicting an outcome. If it's the later then they would be my own but he has influenced my thinking considerably.

As a side bar the "idea" flew I'm now convinced it was a good one.