“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney Company on ‘Creativity’
Creativity is something that everyone has inside of them, but it is also something that can be immensely illusive. You may be of the opinion that creativity is not something that everybody needs; however, it is creativity that helps us to solve problems every single day. We all need it at some point, but the spark is not always present when it would be most appreciated.
The thing about creativity is that it is not a separate entity that graces us with its presence whenever it sees fit, creativity is something that must be honed. It is a skill that must be practised on a regular basis in order for that part of our brain to remain resilient and blossoming. Cultivating it is the key; here are few ideas on how to start such a process…
1. Don’t Wait for Inspiration
As I have mentioned, creativity and inspiration to not come to you, you have to go and find it. Inspiration does not come floating in through the window, fall out of a starry sky or float in on the ocean, it is an action that you must take. The best way to be creative is to create. This is easier said than done, as often the fear of failure holds us back.
I like to think of new ideas this way: If you are looking to build a palace, you do not go out and simply buy a palace. You have start by digging the foundations, then you must buy the bricks, and then the windows and doors, the plaster, the insulation and so on. Creative solutions do not arrive fully formed, they are built in steps. The only thing you need to do at the beginning of a creative process is to take the first step, the rest will follow.
2. Do Things that Excite You
Fill your life, both inside and outside of work hours, with things that you love. Do, see, enjoy things that excite you that bring you joy. It is a great deal easier to be creative when you fill your life with creative and inspiring content. Creativity often comes from referencing the things that you learn about or experience in real life, so, with that in mind, it helps to have a diverse and active lifestyle. Also, an enjoyable life makes you happy, and what is happiness good for? Answer; resilience, inspiration and creativity.
3. Accept That Creating New Ideas Is Hard
I have spent many an hour looking at a blank page with no idea how I am going to fill it with fresh, interesting and viable ideas. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, and if finding the next big idea were a simple task, we would all be doing it. It is easy to get frustrated, to berate yourself for finding it hard to create original ideas, but this frustration only serves as an extra block to creativity.
Accept that being creative is hard. Instead of spiralling in front of your blank page, walk away, do something that you know is good for your mind, and come back to it later.
4. Know You Can Do It
Everybody has creativity, passion and inventiveness inside of them. Like any skill, all it takes is practice and self-confidence to lure it out. Doubt is the enemy of creativity, and a little conviction in your ability to spark new ideas can go a long way. Can you do it? Of course you can. Why not?
5. Creativity is Not A Luxury
The idea of being creative is often seen as a luxury. The rhetoric around creativity would have us believe that it is not necessary for everyday life. There is also a tendency to think that it is confined to inherently creative personalities and industries. However, this is not so, creative solutions and innovations are required in every walk of life and every industry. The creative part of your brain deserves as much exercise as any other. Problem solving requires creativity. The design of any system requires creativity. Making do with limited resources requires creativity. If you are of the mind that you are not built for creativity, perhaps you should take a closer look at what you do on a daily basis!
By Chris Thomson
It is hard to create if you are not feeling up to it. Here are some ideas on how to get in ‘the zone’… Workplace Wellbeing: Techniques for Energy and Motivation
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