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Creativity
Life is a continuing process of creation. Our bodies are
constantly creating new cells to keep us alive. Our minds are
constantly creating new thoughts to help us survive and prosper.
In a biological sense, life itself is defined as a creative
process. Creation is part of our essence as living, growing
beings.
A requirement for success in today's world
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As more and more of the routine tasks are replaced by technology,
creativity becomes increasingly important. It used to be that
wealth was created by the acquisition of physical assets -- coal,
oil, land, steel. Now, new wealth is coming largely from ideas.
Success in business comes from innovation. Instant, worldwide
communication and efficient, available transportation have truly
made the marketplace a global one. No longer can businesses expect
to get business just because there is no competition nearby.
Consumers can price-shop on the Internet with the click of a mouse
button, so in order to command a higher price, marketers must have
innovation in their products.
Our civilization has developed a powerful, efficient
infrastructure that is basically in place to manifest creative
ideas. Communication, information, transportation, financial,
marketing and manufacturing capabilities around the world exist in
order to quickly and economically turn ideas into wealth. The raw
material for the highly productive machinery of the modern world
consists of creative ideas. Creativity is an essential skill that
is becoming more and more important as technology continues to
advance.
The way to a life of value
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Things of value in your life must be created by you, not taken
from others. Yes, you can take things from others, either with
their consent or against their will, but those things will not add
true value to your own life. You are responsible for creating your
own life.
We are all participants in creation. The more creative we are, the
more alive and fulfilled we are. We are defined by the life we
create for ourselves.
Kinds of creativity
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In every endeavor, there is some element of creativity. Creativity
has many forms that we sometimes fail to recognize as such. Some
of them include:
Artistic
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This is what most people think of when the term "creativity" is
used. Art is very important to our lives. Things such as music,
writing, painting, sculpture, dance, architecture, films, comedy,
poetry can reveal truths and inspire us in ways that nothing else
can. Art, in all its forms, might be called the language of
creativity. It allows us to powerfully communicate creative ideas
and concepts on many different levels.
Synthesis
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Synthesis is the combining of things to form something new.
Synthesis is perhaps one of the most accessible forms of
creativity, yet few people even understand what it is. With a
little awareness and practice, anyone can learn to create valuable
things through synthesis.
Presentation, interpretation and communication
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Another important type of creativity is in the way that
information, ideas, feelings and concepts are presented. This is a
critical aspect of endeavors such as advertising, teaching, public
speaking, graphic design, film making, writing and many others.
Creative problem solving
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Problems are an excellent source for creative ideas. Problems add
an important and effective dimension to the creative process --
namely, motivation. When you have a problem, you are naturally
motivated to solve that problem. That can fire up your creative
powers like nothing else.
Building and developing
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Often, creativity takes the form of steady, reliable effort, day
after day, toward an ultimate goal. Growth is a definitively
creative process. Things such as raising a family, working toward
a college degree, building a business, and leading a group are all
examples of the long-term creativity involved in building and
developing.
Creative living
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Living creatively means being your own person, being a truly
unique individual. It means finding opportunity in every moment to
live with passion and purpose. Living creatively is not to be
confused with living irresponsibly. It is, rather, being
responsible first to your guiding purpose and to making a maximum
contribution to the world. The more creatively you live your life,
the more value you can provide for yourself, your family, and the
world around you.
The challenge of creativity
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To be effectively creative, we must learn to manage two distinct
processes.
First is the process of integration and synthesis of a new idea.
Everything new that is created -- great buildings, works of art,
businesses, complex machines, books, films -- must first exist in
the mind. New ideas come largely from the integration of existing
concepts -- combining and intermingling them in ways that have
never before been expressed. This part of the creative process
requires exposure to a diverse set of experiences and a broad
spectrum of thinking.
Just as vital to creativity is the action necessary to bring ideas
to reality. The creation of great architecture demands engineering
and construction skills. The creation of great literature demands
grammatical skills, and the ability to operate a printing press.
Discipline and focus are necessary to manifest any creation.
It's a bit of a paradox. In order to be fully creative, we must be
very open-minded, while at the same time remaining disciplined and
focused. A delicate balance, indeed. And balance is the key. In
all great creations the idealistic coexists with the pragmatic in
an elegant proportion. A great idea is worthless unless it is
manifest. And a great skill is useless unless it has direction.
Think balance. Learn to be a dreamer while also being a doer.
Harness the power of your thoughts and the power of your actions
together in the same direction, and your life will be a truly
creative force.
Foster a creative mindset
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Creativity at its best is a full-time pursuit. Highly creative
people don't turn their creativity on and off. Rather, they
constantly cultivate an attitude of creativity. They see every
aspect of their lives as an opportunity to be creative.
Creativity is something that can be cultivated. We're all born
with more creativity than we'll ever use. In the few short years
that we're children, we're highly creative. Then, as we grow and
mature, somehow that creativity gets buried by the expectations of
ourselves and our culture. We develop the mistaken attitude that
life and work must consist of toil and drudgery. The creativity is
still there, yet we have chosen to let it lie dormant. The good
news is that, with a change in attitude, we can re-establish
contact with our creative side.
Find the creativity within you
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We all possess creativity. Unfortunately, most adults have
forgotten how to make regular use of it. Realize that you are a
creative being, that your whole life and the things in it are your
creation. Look back at the things you have created. They may be
desirable or undesirable, that doesn't matter now. What matters is
that you created them. What matters is that you're able to see and
understand your own creative power.
Have confidence
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Know that there is a solution to every problem and an idea to meet
every need.
When you know there is a solution to the problem, or a sculpture
waiting to be created, or a building waiting to be designed, then
you have the incentive to do what it takes to find that creation
within you.
Have confidence in your ability to create the things you want and
need. Your continuing survival is proof that you've been
adequately creative up to this point. Confidently tap into that
creative power, to make your life what you want it to be.
Be open minded
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Be aware of, and question, your assumptions and prejudices. We all
have them on some level, and they're necessary. It would be
difficult to get through the day without making some assumptions.
If we rely on them too heavily, though, they can close our minds
to new realities and concepts. The best strategy is to be aware of
the assumptions we make, and to question them on a regular basis.
"Don't keep forever on the public road,
going only where others have gone. Leave the
beaten path occasionally and dive into the woods.
You will be certain to find something you have
never seen before. One discovery will lead to
another, and before you know it, you will have
something worth thinking about. All really big
discoveries are the result of thought."
--Alexander Graham Bell
Listen carefully to, and welcome the ideas of others. You don't
have to agree with them to learn from them. When you are confident
in your own beliefs and in your own ability to think for yourself,
radical new ideas won't threaten you. Rather, they will stimulate
your own thoughts and creativity.
Be open to new ways of doing things. Just because something works
well, doesn't mean that it's the best way, or the only way, to do
it.
Be aware of possibilities
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Get in the habit of looking for the possibilities in every
situation. Instead of assuming what will "probably" happen, think
of what could "possibly" happen. Constantly ask, "what if?" Look
at situations and speculate on where they will go in time. What
will happen in a week, a month, six months, and a year from now?
Be observant
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Observe and appreciate other great ideas. Everywhere you look
there is creativity and innovation: television commercials, music
CDs, new electronic gadgets, software, highly targeted magazines,
unique and interesting cultural events, restaurants with
innovative cuisine, packaged products, promotional tie-ins, bumper
stickers. Even those trashy afternoon talk shows have to be
innovative in coming up with the most outrageous, convoluted
perversions to display and exploit.
Be curious
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Ask "why", "how" and "why not". When you turn on the faucet,
wonder where the water is coming from. When you see an
advertisement on television, try to figure out why that ad ran on
that particular program. When you see a new retail store opening
in your town, speculate on why the owners didn't locate the store
somewhere else. When a telemarketer calls to sell you something,
ask him how long he's been doing this, and why (that'll really
throw them off!). Watch a piece of complex machinery as it
operates. Develop a genuine interest in people, ideas, processes
and in understanding the reason behind things.
Be realistic
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See things for what they are, without attaching any emotional
meaning to them.
Avoid denial and practice acceptance. Things are as they are,
regardless of what you wish they could be. You have the power to
change them, and to do so you must first accept them.
Be unrealistic
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Creativity is a paradox, because it requires you to be realistic,
and at the same time to be unrealistic. You must be realistic in
seeing things as they are, and unrealistic in imagining the
possibilities. Consider all options, no matter how far-fetched
they seem. Though your actions need to always be grounded in
reality, you can learn and grow by refusing to be limited by it.
When approaching a problem, think of what couldn't possibly work,
and ask yourself why not. This exercise will bring many creative
ideas.
Be appreciative
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Genuinely appreciate other people, the beauty around you,
yourself, your accomplishments, everything in your world. This
will cultivate an attitude of abundance, which will release your
creativity.
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Techniques and exercises for boosting your creativity
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Integrate and synthesize by combining
things that are completely unrelated
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Some of the most innovative ideas come when two completely
separate disciplines or subject areas come together. Most new
ideas are not completely original. Rather, they are unique
combinations or adaptations of other ideas. For example, James
Ritty invented the cash register after seeing a mechanical device
aboard a steamship that counted the revolutions of the ship's
propeller. He took an idea that was being used in one field
(navigation) and applied it in another area (retail commerce).
Experiment with different ways of doing the things you already do.
You don't necessarily want to find better ways. Rather, the point
is to increase your mental flexibility.
Record your ideas
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Often times, creative ideas come when we're too busy to explore
them. Then, when we finally get time to consider them, they've
been forgotten. Albert Einstein said that he got his best ideas
while shaving. Many people have great ideas while lying in bed,
waiting to go to sleep. Then in the morning, the ideas are gone.
If they kept a pen and notepad at their bedside, their ideas would
survive the night. Many people have good ideas while driving their
car. Then by the time they get to where they're going, their mind
has gone on to something else (perhaps that crazy driver who cut
them off on the freeway.) If these people would make a point to
carry a small, dictation-type tape recorder, their ideas would
survive the trip.
Skip the things that confound you
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Don't let yourself be stopped by an apparent roadblock. Move on to
some other portion of the project or problem, and keep working.
You can always come back later. As you continue to work you may
very well get ideas you can apply to the part that has you
"stumped."
Participate in creative recreational activities
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Instead of sitting in front of the TV, watching other people be
creative, use your leisure time to foster your own creativity.
Things such as puzzles, painting, volunteer work, writing,
learning to play a musical instrument, home improvement,
woodworking, crafts, restoring an old car, participating in a
community theater, and photography can exercise your creativity.
Being creative requires effort and mental exercise. Just as
jogging or working out in the gym will keep your body in shape,
creative recreational activities will keep your mind in shape.
Brainstorm and then distill
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This is fun! Just let your mind go free and write down or record
on tape everything you think of. Commit to write or speak for 30
minutes, non-stop. Don't make any judgments about what you're
recording, just let the thoughts and ideas flow. Then go back
later and edit the material down to the most useful and creative
components. This is a very useful technique when you do it alone.
When you do it with a small group of people, it becomes even more
powerful by orders of magnitude.
Sleep on it
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There is an enormous amount of information buried in your
subconscious. Scientists estimate that during your lifetime,
approximately 15 trillion bits of information will be recorded by
your brain. It would take more than 3,000 standard CD-ROMs to
store that amount of information. When you consider that a single
CD-ROM can store an entire encyclopedia, you can see that there is
an incredible wealth of information inside your head. So much, in
fact, that you couldn't possibly have conscious access to it all --
it would be too overwhelming.
You can tap into this information through your subconscious. When
you've worked on a problem by consciously reviewing all the facts
and possible solutions, and you're still stumped, then walk away
from it for a while. "Sleep on it." Your subconscious will
continue looking for an answer, even while you rest.
The great composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart told his friends that
some of his best work came to him while he was sleeping, after
which he would wake up and immediately write down the score of the music he had heard in his sleep.
Have fun
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Be curious. Try things. Have fun. It's an approach that's
recommended by respected management gurus such as Tom Peters. It's the philosophy behind some of the most successful businesses
today. Look at small children and how they learn so much, so fast.
Their prime motivation is to have fun and to satisfy their endless
curiosity. And the result is an astonishing amount of learning in
a short period of time.
Look for the missing link
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Identify the one thing that stands in the way of solving your
problem or executing your creation. What is the one element that
would, if it were available, eliminate the problem?
Consider all the possibilities, no matter how far-fetched, for
filling the missing link. Concentrate your work and creativity on
solving this crucial element.
Pay attention to accidental discoveries
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Many of the world's greatest creations came about "accidentally".
Soichiro Honda, founder of the multi-billion dollar global
automobile company that bears his name, is an example. In Japan
after World War II, Honda was unable to get gasoline for his car.
So he took one of the surplus motors left by American GIs, and
attached it to his bicycle. The engine, fueled by kerosene,
provided him with reliable transportation. His friends started
asking him to make them one of his motorbikes. He soon realized
that there was a huge market for his creation. He founded the
Honda Motor Company in 1948, originally to design and build
motorcycles.
Many things that appear to be "coincidences" in life, actually
occur for a reason that we simply can't detect. Pay attention to
the coincidences, because within them may lie the answer to
whatever creative dilemma you're experiencing at the moment.
Adapt and improve on the ideas and creations of others
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Take proven products, ideas, systems, formulas and adapt them for
your own use. Add your own unique contribution.
This doesn't mean you should "steal" ideas. Rather, learn from
them and use them to develop creative ideas of your own.
"Many ideas grow better when
transplanted into another mind
than in the one where they sprang up."
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes
Enjoy and appreciate creative works
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Read, listen to music, watch films, enjoy live theater, visit a
museum, enjoy the incredible diversity and creativity of nature,
evaluate innovative new products. Enjoying the creativity of
others will make you more creative.
Go ahead and try things
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They probably won't work, but if you keep on trying you will
eventually find something that will work.
For every idea you have, you can probably think of dozens of
reasons why it won't work. It definitely won't work if you don't
even try it, so give it a try. Don't "bet the farm" on an unproven
idea. Do find a way to test it. Even if it doesn't work, there's
an excellent chance that you'll learn something in the trying,
that will eventually lead you to a successful approach.
Look beyond the surface and see the details
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Things aren't always what they seem. In fact, things are rarely
what they appear to be on the surface. Get in the habit of looking
deeper, at problems, opportunities, people, situations, processes,
strategies and successful ideas. The more you look at the
specifics, the more you strive to fully understand underlying
causes, the more creative you'll become.
Look closely at the details of any problem or creative dilemma.
The more details you're familiar with, the more opportunities
you'll find for creative expression. When you generalize, it's
difficult to see all the possibilities. Knowing the details will
allow you to see many possibilities for creative input.
Bounce ideas off others
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Explain your ideas to other people -- people who are confident
enough to give you an honest evaluation. Welcome their criticism
and objections, for those are what will help you to learn, and to
improve on your ideas.
Exert honest effort
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Make the effort to think for yourself. Get out of the habit of
relying on other people's work, interpretations, creations,
approaches. Too often we just allow ourselves to coast on
momentum, to do things the way they've always been done just
because that's easier than developing new, improved ways. Take
responsibility for your own work and don't depend on others for
creative ideas. Take ownership of the problem that you want to
solve. It is your problem, so you must develop a solution. It is
your creation, so you must create it. Have the attitude that you
want to add value to everything you work with, not just pass it
along and take credit for it.
Create your life
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You are a creative force. The quality of your life depends on the
quality of your creations. In everything you do, look for ways to
create something that has never existed before. Respect and
appreciate the creations of others, and add your own unique
offering. Use your time, your skills, your thoughts and your
resources to create abundance for yourself and the world around
you.
Ralph Marston
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