According to cognitive psychologist Robert J. Sternberg, creativity can be broadly defined as “the process of producing something that is both original and worthwhile.” Creativity is all about finding new ways of solving problems and approaching situations. This isn’t a skill restricted to artists, musicians, or writers; it is a useful skill for people from all walks of life. If you’ve ever wanted to grow your creativity, these tips can help.
The first step is to fully devote yourself to developing your creative abilities. Do not put off your efforts.
Set goals, enlist the help of others, and put time aside each day to develop your skills.
Be Willing to Take Risks
When it comes to building your creative skills, you need to be willing to take risks in order to advance your abilities.
While your efforts may not lead to success every time, you will still be boosting your creative talents and building skills that will serve you well in the future.
Make Time for Creativity
You won’t be able to develop your creative talents if you don’t make time for them. Schedule some time each week to concentrate on some type of creative project.
Do you take excessive time?
Become an Expert
One of the best ways to develop creativity is to become an expert in that area.
By having a rich understanding of the topic, you will be better able to think of a novel or innovative solutions to problems.
Enhance Your Curiosity
One common roadblock to developing creativity in the sense that curiosity is an indulgence. Rather than reprimanding yourself, reward yourself when you are curious about something. Give yourself the opportunity to explore new topics.
While rewarding yourself is important, it is also important to develop intrinsic motivation. Sometimes, the true reward of creativity is the process itself, not the product.
Build Your Confidence
Insecurity in your abilities can suppress creativity, which is why it is important to build confidence. Make note of the progress you have made, commend your efforts, and always be on the lookout for ways to reward your creativity.
Overcome Negative Attitudes that Block Creativity
According to a 2006 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, positive moods can increase your ability to think creatively. According to Dr. Adam Anderson, senior author of the study, “If you are doing something that requires you to be creative or be in a think tank, you want to be in a place in a good mood.”
Overcome Your Fear of Failure
The fear that you might make a mistake or fail in your efforts can paralyze your progress. Whenever you find yourself harboring such feelings, remind yourself that mistakes are simply part of the process.
While you may occasionally stumble on your path to creativity, you will eventually reach your goals.
Brainstorm for New Ideas
Brainstorming is a common technique in both academic and professional settings, but it can also be a powerful tool for developing your creativity.
Start by suspending your judgment and self-criticism, then start writing down related ideas and possible solutions. The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible in a relatively short span of time. Next, focus on clarifying and refining your ideas in order to arrive at the best possible choice.
Take Advantage of the Fact That Most Problems Have Multiple Solutions
The next time you approach a problem, try looking for a variety of solutions. Instead of simply going with the first idea you have, take the time to think of other possible ways to approach the situation.
This simple activity is a great way to build both your problem-solving and creative thinking skills.
Keep a Journal
Start keeping a journal to follow your creative process and track the ideas you produce. A journal is a great way to reflect back on what you have accomplished and look for other possible solutions. This journal can be used to save ideas that can later serve as future inspiration.
Create a Mind Map
A mind map is a great way to connect ideas and look for innovative answers to questions. Create a mind map by writing down a central topic or word. Next, link related terms or ideas around the central word. While similar to brainstorming, this technique allows for branching ideas and offers a very visual way of seeing how these ideas are linked.
As you start to develop a new project, create a flow chart to track the presentation of the project from start to finish. Look for various paths or sequences of events that might occur.
Challenge Yourself
Once you have developed some basic creative skills, it is important to continually challenge yourself in order to further advance your abilities. Look for more difficult approaches, try out new things, and avoid always using the same solutions you have used in the past.
In addition to challenging yourself, you also need to create your own opportunities for creativity. This might involve tackling a new project or finding new tools to use in your current projects.
Experiment with the “Six Hats” Technique
The “six hats” technique involves looking at a problem from six differing perspectives. By doing this, you can produce more ideas than you might have had you only looked at the situation from one or two points of view.
Red Hat: Look at the situation emotionally. What do your feelings tell you?
White Hat: Look at the situation objectively. What are the facts?
Yellow Hat: Use a positive perspective. Which elements of the solution will work?
Black Hat: Use a negative perspective. Which elements of the solution won’t work?
Green Hat: Think creatively. What are some alternative ideas?
Blue Hat: Think broadly. What is the best overall solution?
Look for Sources of Inspiration
Never expect creativity to just happen. Look for new sources of inspiration that will give you fresh ideas and motivate you to generate unique answers to questions.
Read a book, visit a museum, listen to your favorite music or engage in a lively debate with a friend. Utilize whatever strategy or technique works best for you.
Consider Alternative Scenarios
When approaching a problem, utilize “what if…” questions to consider each possible scenario. If you take a specific approach, what will the outcome be?
By looking at these alternatives beforehand, you’ll be better able to develop creative solutions to problems.
Try the Snowball Technique
Have you ever noticed how one great idea often leads directly to another? You can take advantage of this by utilizing a “snowball technique” when you are generating ideas for your project.
If the idea isn’t appropriate for your current work, set it aside to work on later or implement it in a future project.
The habit of curiosity is a fundamental element in obtaining the information that propels our thinking nowadays. Engaging in curious thought takes our mind from being passive and into an active mode. It helps us to discover new ideas and open up new avenues and possibilities. Finally, curiosity brings excitement into your life. Yes, excitement.
Curious thinking is the ability to consider something in a new way. It might be a new approach to a problem, a resolution to a conflict between employees, or a new result from a data set. Employers in all industries want employees who can think creatively and bring new perspectives to the workplace.
So how can we retrain ourselves to develop our habit of curiosity and be more curious? By forming new habits, obviously. You knew that, of course.
Here are some tips to remind you of this important habit.
You have to believe
Everything is possible to only those who believe. Are you a believer? You need to know that the fundamental path to learning or developing any habit is self-belief. Curiosity, like any other habit or skill, is learnable. You should trust yourself to figure things out. You should have unshakeable faith in your ability to figure things out. Just trust yourself. Give yourself a chance. How then do you develop this self-belief?
You need to replace all the limiting beliefs working against you with uplifting beliefs. Don’t allow the negative thoughts that cloud your mind to get in your way. Find reasons to fuel your desires, self-esteem, and self-confidence.
Until you change your thinking, you cannot change your life. Remember that everything you want to know is available. But only then you only get to know it if you consciously and deliberately make the effort learn and know.
A beginner’s mindset
You should not allow your ego and/or your age to deter you from seeking to know. Become a student of life. As a student, you have the mindset of a beginner. No matter your age, you can start to learn new things. Don’t say to yourself I am too old for this or that.
Having a beginner’s mindset means that you are never going to stop asking until you get the answers.
This is possible by allowing your childhood curiosity nature to resurface again. I hope you vividly remember your childhood days and how you never stop asking mum and dad, uncle and aunty, brother and sister series of questions. I mean no matter the number of a threat of punishments, screams, and yells, you still ask your question. This is what distinguishes a person with a beginner’s mindset from a person with a know it all mindset.
Listen without judgment
Don’t size people up and make assumptions. Curious people are focused on exploring options rather than shaming of blaming.
An open mind
The key to having a positive mindset is keeping an open mind. Don’t become so stiff in your mind thinking about what you know is enough. You have to open up your mind to fresh thoughts and ideas. It’s only an open mind that can be probed. A closed mind is a stubborn and a stiff mind.
Don’t get things twisted here. Having an open mind to learning new things is not the same as opening up your mind for others to bombard you with negative thoughts and beliefs. Having an open mind in this sense means being open to other ideas and suggestions that will serve as answers to questions you have in mind.
Don’t take things for granted
Become a person who does not accept things the way they are or the way they are present to you. Have the hunger and desire to probe and dig deeper. Act on the word of Albert Einstein who said; the important thing is not to stop questioning.
This is how the numerous inventions and breakthrough in science were birthed. So if you want to develop the habit of curiosity, never ever take things for granted.
Ask why relentlessly
Curiosity begs us to ask what, why, who, when, where, and how to get at the deeper secrets. Questions don’t scare curious people.
To become a person who will question relentlessly, you have to personalize the word WHY. Make it your favorite word. Fall in love with it and use to the best of your ability.
According to success expert Brian Tracy, a major stimulant to creative thinking is focused questions. There is something about a well-worded question that often penetrates to the heart of the matter and triggers new ideas.
And John C Maxwell added that most of the time focused questions begin with the word why. Get the WHY active starting today so you can start nurturing the habit of curiosity.
Seek to learn new every day
Decide from today that you will never go to bed at night without learning new. Make this a ritual goal. I believe every day we are presented with a blank sheet of papers and we must submit these papers at the end of the day with one new skill or experience. This means that we have the onus to make sure we learn something new before going to bed.
Such a lifestyle helps you to nurture the habit of curiosity. I, therefore, urge you to start your day with the determination to learn and experience something different. Resolve to go through a day getting from it.
Which means you should focus on making the count and not counting the day. Just resolve never to retire to bed unless you learn or experience something new.
Love to learn
Naturally curious people are avid learners. Read diverse kinds of books, blogs, white papers and anything else you can get your hands on. Take instructive classes and courses. Never stop learning.
In the professional world, learning from what worked and what didn’t in a variety of scenarios is important to continue refining your process. Whether it’s the blog title they choose, the email subject line they employ, or the time in which they publish your social media posts, curious people want to experiment, learn, and optimize.
A naturally curious personal action.
Being curious means having an active mind. You’re not satisfied until you learn all you can about your process, and have the requisite data to start doubling down on what works and forgetting about what doesn’t.
Willing to be wrong
Cultivate a sense of being open to other’s insights and opinions rather than being right. Live to solve problems, instead of being right.
Aren’t afraid to say “I don’t know”
It’s more important for a curious person to learn something than to look smart. They’re always seeking knowledge by engaging in conversation.
Never bored
When you’re naturally curious, you’re always looking into something new. Curious people can always find something interesting to explore. Curious people are always investigating something new and as a result, are constantly adding to their knowledge. No matter the situation, they can find something interesting to explore.
Curious people tend to maintain high activity levels and discover interesting facts about their industry. While others are procrastinating or pumping out the same old content, these people are reading books, and learning new methodologies.
Become friends with curious people
The law of association is also very effective with curiosity. Just as it’s important to mingle with positive people, It’s also important you spend time with people who have cultivated the habit of asking questions. These people will not only inspire you, they will stimulate your thought and personality.
Exercise your power to hire by recruiting curious people into your inner circle. Remember that as a person born to win, you need other winners to push you out of your comfort zone.. In other words, need curious people to challenge you to step out of your comfort zone.
Stay in the moment
Curious people don’t multi-task. They’re focused completely and solely on the present moment. You’ll be able to take in everything that is happening.
There are many correct answers
John C Maxwell taught me the power of alternative answers. You see, the idea that there is always a single best answer to a problem is false. To every problem, there are multiple solutions or answers. It’s only the curious person who is able to access these alternative solutions.
You have to decide to start today that you will always dig deep to find multiple or alternative solutions to a problem. This places you in a position where you have to ask focused questions. If you decide today to stop looking for the right answers or solutions, you are on your way to becoming a curious person.
Expand and enjoy your life
According to Ralph Waldo Emerson;
All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
This is so true. Get over yourself and make those conscious deliberate choices, mix with all kind of emotions just enjoy your life. Take on challenges. Go for adventures. Get involved in community projects and more.
It’s your desire to enjoy the life that will drive you into doing things that thrive on curiosity. Decide today to enjoy life and you will realize how curious you can become.
Naturally empathetic
Empathy lets you connect with your customers and prospects in a natural and authentic way. Empathy helps to open doors to new relationships. As Greater Good points out, empathy and curiosity are linked. The more empathetic you are, the more curious you’re likely to be.
In a business setting, empathy helps you connect with your audience in a real and authentic way. An empathetic person can instantly step into anyone’s shoes and identify with their pain points.
Make time
Curious people make time to be intentionally curious. Take one day a month to think forward 3 years, to question your goals and assumptions. Are you doing things you shouldn’t be doing?
Keep it positive
Believe it or not, curious people tend to be more positive than their less-curious counterparts. While others can be set back by rejection, they take it in stride. They aim to discover what went wrong or what they could improve on, and then take action.
Love accomplishments
While most folks are afraid of what lies ahead, Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer found that curious people anxiously await their opportunity to move forward. When others become satisfied with their position, curious people continue to boldly move forward and take the next step.
It goes without saying that an achievement attitude is essential in the professional world, where reps are held to quotas as well as other concrete metrics.
The bottom line
So never be scared of being curious. It is the roots of discoveries and inventions. It opens up options. You think and expand possibilities. Through curiosity, you can move from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Just by being curious, you make your life interesting, you are always self-motivated to learn, and your imagination is always fired up.
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Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on G+, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on G+, Facebook, Twitter, Digital Spark Marketing, and LinkedIn.
