| Creativity has often been attributed to divine | | | | crayons, colored pencils, and washable markers. |
| intervention. Some well-known authors have claimed | | | | Laugh as often as you can. Laughing has been shown |
| that while writing their novels they felt as if the words | | | | to help people think more broadly, associate freely, and |
| they were typing were being dictated to them. As | | | | notice complex relationships. Daniel Goleman explains in |
| mythology illustrates, the ancient Greeks believed that | | | | his best selling book, "Emotional Intelligence", that the |
| the muses were the source of all inspiration. Perhaps | | | | intellectual benefits of a good laugh are most striking |
| every creative endeavor does have a divine spark in it, | | | | when it comes to solving problems that demand a |
| however, when the muse makes her appearance she | | | | creative solution. As illustration, Goleman explains that |
| has to find you working. Once you're sitting at your | | | | one study found that people who had just watched a |
| computer, or standing before an easel, or even sitting | | | | video of television bloopers were better at solving a |
| in the science lab, there are many ways to actively | | | | puzzle long used by psychologists to test creative |
| coax forth the creativity. | | | | thinking. |
| As Jack Foster explains in his book, How to Get Ideas | | | | Combine Seemingly Disparate Elements |
| , creativity is a skill that can be consciously developed | | | | Another definition of creativity is the ability to combine |
| and enhanced. To begin along your creative path, do | | | | ideas in a unique way, to see relationships between |
| the following: think of yourself as being "the creative | | | | disparate things, or to make useful associations among |
| type"; begin creating even if you feel you're not in "the | | | | ideas. You can practice creativity by taking two things |
| right mood"; play; laugh; have lots of ideas; combine | | | | that are unconnected and forcing connections |
| familiar elements in new ways; and be curious and ask | | | | between them. Musicians combine different |
| lots of questions. | | | | styles-such as pop with Islamic music-and come up |
| To be More Creative, Think of Yourself as Being | | | | with new, compelling sounds. Many business gurus |
| Creative | | | | who "discover" a new way of conducting business are |
| Many people think that creativity is a natural talent and | | | | simply synthesizing ideas from apparently different |
| that it can't be learned. These same people tend to | | | | fields. |
| stifle their creativity by constantly thinking to | | | | The following quote by George Kneller illustrates the |
| themselves: "I'm not creative." You need to stop | | | | importance of combining different elements to come |
| thinking of creativity as the purview of a few gifted | | | | up with something new: "Creativity, as has been said, |
| individuals. A lot of what passes for raw creative | | | | consists largely of rearranging what we know in order |
| talent is simply taking the time to look for a better way | | | | to find out what we do not know. Hence, to think |
| of doing things, making the effort to come up with | | | | creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we |
| several alternatives, and tinkering with different ideas | | | | normally take for granted." |
| until you find one that works. | | | | Have Lots of Ideas |
| Edward de Bono-regarded by many as the leading | | | | Thomas Edison applied the concept of an "idea quota" |
| international authority on creative thinking -explains that | | | | in his life. This is a great motivational tool for attaining a |
| creative thinking is not a talent, but a skill that can be | | | | great quantity of creative thinking output. It's been said |
| learned and developed through practice. He holds that | | | | that by the time of his death in 1931, he held over |
| creative thinking empowers people by strengthening | | | | one-thousand patents. His "Idea Quota" basically |
| their natural abilities, and that techniques and strategies | | | | consisted of the following: he had to come up with a |
| for facilitating creative performance should be taught in | | | | minor invention every 10 days and a major invention |
| schools. Always think of yourself as a creative person. | | | | every 6 months. Consider setting an idea quote for |
| Simply Begin | | | | yourself. Force yourself to come up with as many as |
| The fabulous SARK--author of the books "The | | | | 300 ideas. Even though it might seem taxing at first, |
| Bodacious Book of Succulence" and "The Creativity | | | | your mind will soon get used to producing ideas on |
| Companion", among many others--explains to her | | | | command. |
| readers that creativity is available to everyone and | | | | Ask Yourself Lots of Questions |
| that it's there all the time. While a lot of people wait for | | | | Creativity requires an inquisitive mind. To generate |
| inspiration to strike in order to start creating, she | | | | creative insight you need to ask lots of questions. |
| explains that it's really the other way around: begin, | | | | Constantly ask yourself the following questions:o What |
| move forward, get started, and then inspiration will | | | | can I do?o How can I help?o How can I be of |
| come to you. When you're crabby, when all you can | | | | service?o How can I add value?o How can I make this |
| think about are other things that need to be done, | | | | world a better place?o What is the problem?o Is this |
| when you feel that you're just not "in the mood" to | | | | the best definition of the problem?o What |
| create, when your inner critic tries to dissuade you | | | | preconceptions am I holding?o What metaphors from |
| from even trying, do it anyway. | | | | nature can I use to illuminate this?o How can I get |
| Laugh, Have Fun, Play | | | | more objective information?o How can I look at it from |
| Give yourself permission to be playful and inquisitive, | | | | an unfamiliar perspective?o What if the law of gravity |
| flexible and versatile. Create a playful environment that | | | | were suspended?o What if money weren't an issue?o |
| helps call forth your creativity. Chalkboard paint can be | | | | What if . . . ?o Wouldn't it be great if. . .? |
| applied to walls; hang up a bulletin board and fill it with | | | | Conclusion |
| images that inspire you; set up an artist easel; have a | | | | There are many ways to encourage your natural |
| large roll of paper available for you to express your | | | | creativity to flourish. Begin by applying the four |
| imagination. Don't forget a caddy of tempera paints, | | | | suggestions offered above. |