Creativity is intelligence having fun.”Albert Einstein
What is creativity? According to Lexico, powered by the Oxford dictionary, it is “The use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.”
When I think of being creative, I think of someone like my granddaughter, who loves and excels at the creation of art. I also think of myself when I was working for an organization. And in my employee reviews, my creativity was always mentioned as one of my top assets.
There are many forms of creativity. The act of creating a drawing, a porcelain bird, a piece of art you hold in your hand, or what seems like an opposing form, an idea for creating a new product and the promotion of that product, or a new way to solve a problem.
Creativity is thinking outside the box. Someone can look at items and events with a different lens and find patterns and connections that no one else can see. It is taking those patterns and connections and creating a solution to a problem or creating a new product or theory.
“Creativity is a combinatorial force: it’s our ability to tap into our ‘inner’ pool of resources – knowledge, insight, information, inspiration and all the fragments populating our minds – that we’ve accumulated over the years just by being present and alive and awake to the world and to combine them in extraordinary new ways.”— Maria Popova, Brainpickings
Srinivasa Ramanujan, a mathematical genius, said that the insight for his work came to him in his dreams.
Albert Einstein had the extraordinary scientific achievement, the discovery of the principle of relativity, after having a vivid dream.
Niels Bohr, whose dreams lead him to the discovery of the Atom
“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.”— Mary Lou Cook
Creativity is a skill. It is a skill which is becoming more and more valuable.
When you look at the ever-changing world we live in; creativity is necessary to create new jobs and also new and better ways to change the way we look at existing industries.
One problem we have right now is climate change. When you list the causes of climate change, you will find many areas where creativity will be required to create innovative new systems.
Many people worry about the loss of jobs, but jobs will be created to replace those outdated industries and systems.
We are all born with natural creative talents, but quite often, those talents are not utilized and become dim. Some of us will be more naturally talented than others.
It is possible to increase our creativity just as we are able to learn any new skill. It is necessary to learn techniques to build creative skills.
To develop a creative mindset, you have to be able to challenge existing assumptions, be open to new ideas and possibilities. As with learning any new skill, you have to step outside your comfort zone and experiment and consistently ask questions.
Dr. Robert Epstein, a psychologist and creativity researcher, has identified four core competencies that enhance our ability to think creatively and generate novel ideas. https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/can-learn-creative/
- Capture new ideas
Find an effective way to preserve novel ideas as they occur, without judging them or editing them. Carry a notebook and write down your ideas or use a voice recorder.
I use a notebook to write down ideas for my blog and articles published on Medium.com.
- Seek out challenges
Stop avoiding challenging problems or projects. Think about the possible ways to generate new ideas and solutions. Seeking challenges may lead to failures, but accepting failure is a necessary part of being creative.
With any project we do while learning any new skill, we face failure. It is part of life. When we fail, we learn the most.
- Broaden your knowledge and skills
Whenever we acquire knowledge and skill that is outside of our current area of expertise, we expand our abilities. With more diverse knowledge, we will be able to make interconnections between what we know and something we had never considered previously.
- Manage your surroundings
When you work in the same surroundings all the time, there is nothing to stimulate new thoughts. When you think of a classroom or your office, it is always the same. But if you introduce something out of the ordinary, it can stimulate you to think in a different way.
Change your environment by going outside, go to an exhibit unrelated to anything you usually do or have an interest in.
Read books about subjects unrelated to what you do or how you think. Listen to different music, go to an art class, or enroll in a college class you would never have considered before.
Diversity will help you move out of your comfort zone and stimulate your brain. Your thinking will change, and you will become more creative.
“Creativity involves breaking out of expected patterns in order to look at things in a different way.” –– Edward de Bono
Creativity is becoming more important and more valued by employers.
Your ability to think outside the box and be creative will be essential in all aspects of your life.
Some of the skills you will need are effective communication skills and your ability to interact well with a diverse group of people.
Critical thinking, such as dissecting a problem and logical reasoning, is an ability you should work to develop. Employers value people who are self-directed, self-disciplined, and self-monitored.
You should look for classes, webinars, and written material to gain as much knowledge and skill in this area as possible. It will serve you well at work and in any area of your life.
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use the more you have.”— Maya Angelou
I believe that you add fun and happiness to your life when you add creativity.
By being creative, our life is more exciting and stimulating. We are more relaxed and live more in the moment, and we become more confident. We are more fun to be around.
Every time we open ourselves up to something new through creativity, we become less afraid. Because of learning, it’s okay to challenge ourselves; we are more likely to continue and open our world to endless possibilities.
“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”— Kurt Vonnegut
As always, thank you for reading my blog. Have a wonderful day!