Creativity is a phenomenon in which someone creates something new and valuable. The thing created can be tangible - such as an idea, scientific theory, or musical composition - or a physical object - such as an invention, literary work, or a painting.-.
My intention with this article is that you learn how to be creative and innovative, the most important concepts to start a life of innovation and creation. You may have considered yourself unimaginative or overly rational so far, but don't worry; creativity can be improved.
"Only a few people have a natural aptitude for creativity, but all can develop a certain skill if they deliberately put their mind to it" -Edward de Bono.
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First of all, you have to make it clear what creativity is. Different definitions can be given although they all refer to the same concept:
-The ability to generate original and novel solutions.
-Creative thinking (fluency, flexibility, originality) + affective elements (interest, motivation, values) + character (discipline, tenacity, boldness).
-Ability to think differently than what has already been thought.
-Ability to use imagination to produce original and value-producing ideas.
When being creative, the first thing that you are going to find is with the negativity of the people around you and, probably, with yours. To be creative it is essential to have confidence, respect for yourself and not be afraid of what others will think when you express your ideas.
If you have an unimaginative, receptive and dependent attitude, you will destroy possibilities for creativity. Everything that has been invented, from airplanes to telephones to footwear, was once someone's idea.
-Myth 1: Creativity only exists in geniuses. Reality: we all have potential and genetic creativity at birth and we can develop it through the social and cultural environment.
-Myth 2: Creativity develops on its own in a stimulating environment. Reality: creativity needs to be cultivated and trained for it.
-Myth 3: Creativity cannot be taught. Reality: anyone can learn the creative process and implement the ideas derived from it.
-Myth 4: It depends on the job position. Reality: in all areas of life we can innovate. From the kitchen (new recipes), cleaning (invention of the mop) or new technologies (ipad).
-Myth 5: It depends on the personality. Reality: it depends on the right training, environment and attitude.
-Myth 6: Poses a risk. Reality: the risk is in the eyes of the beholder.
There are certain personality characteristics that define creative people. Knowing them will help you model them and adopt those that you think can be adapted to your personality.
For me, the four fundamentals and what best describe the creative person:
Only through a open attitude creativity can be encouraged. In addition to your thoughts (for example the typical “what a silly idea or thousands of people have thought of it”), the people around us crush creative impulses. If it is difficult to combat our negativity, if a person who destructively criticizes our ideas joins, creativity dies instantly.
I leave you here some eminent critical judgments so that you are aware that critics are not always right:
-Flying machines heavier than air are impossible-Lorrd Kevin, 1895.
-After the first six months, this device will not remain in any market that it manages to capture. People will soon get tired of looking at a wooden box every night-Daryl F. Zanuck, director of the 20th Century film studio, talking about television in 1946.
-Who the hell wants to hear actors speak? -Harry M. Warner, president of Warner in 1927.
-"The horse is here to stay, but the car is just a fad, a fad" -Chairman of Michigan Savings Bank.
Intuition is not superstition. These are decisions we make based on organized information and of which we are not aware.
For example: a firefighter who knows when a floor is going to collapse in a fire and senses that event seconds before it happens, allowing him to save himself. What has happened is that, from his experience, he has gathered information from the environment such as the heat in the room, the condition of the floor, noise and other relevant information that has made him remember other situations in which the floor collapsed.
Intuition is not seen, it feels and it is what is added to all the information gathered. You cannot make safe decisions based on intuition because you will never be able to gather 100% of the information. Still, there is no right answer for everyone and to be successful with a creative idea you have to take risks and lose the fear of failure..
"An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid of failure" -Edwin Land.
-If you always think the same way, you will have the same results.
-Always question the status quo, enjoy the uncertainty, get out of your comfort zone.
-Miss the everyday and get inspired by it.
You can have creative ideas in all areas of life, even in creations from objects of everyday life.
(Enric Bernat-Inventor of lollipop).
Hellen Keller, famous deaf-mute American writer wrote:
“I wonder how it is possible to walk for an hour through the forest and not see anything remarkable. I, who cannot see, find hundreds of things: the delicate symmetry of a leaf, the smooth skin of a silver birch, the rough bark of a pine. I, who am blind, can give advice to those who see: use your eyes as if tomorrow they were going to be blind. Make the most of every sense. Enjoy the glory of all the facets and pleasures and beauty that the world reveals to you ".
Creativity expert Edward de Bono said:
“A very important aspect of creativity is the willpower to stand up and look at things that nobody else cares about. The simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a very powerful resource for creativity. ".
Bandura calls self-efficacy the belief that we can get results from our actions and that we can get what we want.
Many people tend to think that they are rational or creative and are pigeonholed into those adjectives, however creativity can be learned and there is an effective process for it.People are naturally creative.
With the Renaissance the individual was put at the center of the universe, it began to think that creativity came from within the individual himself and that people are geniuses. However, making someone believe that it is a resource for creativity creates too high expectations and builds an inevitable ego..
In the ancient Greece and Rome people did not believe that creativity came from within the human being, but that creativity came, for unknown reasons, from external spirits. The Greeks called these spirits of creativity "demons." For example, Socrates believed that he had a demon that spoke to him. The Romans had the same idea but they called him "genius", a kind of entity that lived in the walls, went out and reached the artists.
What was the use of this? For example, they protected themselves from narcissism (not believing that the credit for each job was his) and the pressure of always having to have good ideas. Creativity is something that is built, which also depends on your behavior, your environment, the people you surround yourself with and the culture in which you are immersed..
“Creativity is simply connecting things. When you ask someone how they did something, they feel somewhat guilty because they don't really know how they did it, they just saw something. After a while it seemed obvious to them. That's because they were able to connect experiences they had and synthesize new things. ”-Steve Jobs.
It is based on preparing for the creativity process, working and being aware of the points discussed, getting used to different ways of thinking about solutions and fleeing from the routine to see different ways of solving problems.
It is very important to be aware of the inner voice of self-censorship and avoid it.
It is a moment in which you find yourself immersed in a problem, you open yourself to any option, even some that, in principle, are not related to it. In this phase it is very important to observe, listen and be open and receptive.
It is crucial at this stage:
-Avoid thinking of common ways to solve a problem.
For example, the rolling suitcase wasn't invented until 1970 by Bernard D. Sadow. Until then, no other way had been thought of to solve the problem of having to carry heavy suitcases.
-Avoid the voice of self-censorship. "This can't work", "Too difficult", "I just don't have the money to do it".
-Dealing with frustration - Periods of frustration are actually part of the creative process. It is inevitable to find moments when you feel that you are not moving forward and that you do not find ideas. "There is always darkness before dawn".
It starts with a question about how to solve a problem, situation or improve something.
At your job, at school, at the University. By asking yourself a question, you start the process of finding a creative solution. In my opinion it is the most important step.
The questions are guides to follow a creative life and the most useful are the open ones, since they allow a new answer.
We adults are afraid to ask questions because we think that we are going to make a fool of ourselves or that we will pretend that we know little. But then how would we learn without asking?
You may never have heard the following questions even though the names sure sound familiar:
-Why can't rockets be cheaper? -Elon Musk (founder of Space X).
-Can all the world's information be gathered? -Larry Page and Sergei Brin (founders of google).
-Why can't there be a reliable speed mail service? -Fred Smith (founder of Federal Express).
-What would a wave of light look like to someone traveling alongside it? -Albert Einstein.
-Why don't we remove the recording function and microphone and put headphones on the recorder? -Masaru Ibuka (President of Sony).
In his time these ideas were meaningless to others, however today we know that they marked an era. The next time you hear a question like this or ask yourself, will you think the same way??
“Asking new questions and possibilities, looking at old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and is what that identifies the true advancement in science ”-Albert Einstein.
Research is something natural in the human being, like a child who asks everything or a baby who puts everything in his mouth. Be curious, try new things, experiment in the world, and gather information regarding the question to be solved.
It is about reflecting on all the relevant pieces and avoid the rational mind, letting the thought flow related to the question to be solved. Think in a different way, look from another perspective, think metaphorically and visualize a solution to the problem.
The time comes when enough information has been gathered to solve the problem.
Is about digest all the information And thoughts you've had It is a passive phase in which your unconscious works more.
Throughout the day the mind is busy at school, the park, work, talking with friends, reading or watching TV. Any time you can relax is helpful to the creative process (a shower, a long drive, a quiet walk, your favorite activity). It is about simply allowing the mind to daydream.
The eureka moment comes after hard work in the previous phases. It usually comes at times when we feel calm and "daydreaming", so it is important not to skip the previous phase.
"Genius is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration" -Thomas Edison.
It is about bringing the idea to reality and it is the most difficult step because you have to overcome the fear of failure and know how to turn it into something useful for yourself and for others.
It is often long and arduous. An important part is the dissemination and socialization of the creation to know what people think of your idea.
Actually the process is very fluid. One person may take longer in the implementation phase and another in the information search phase..
The phases are not fixed; They can be in a different order, although it is convenient that you be aware of the phase you are in because it will allow you to enter the process more frequently and carry out the pertinent actions.
As a complement to the implementation of the idea, you can ask for feedback from known or unknown people. This will help you to be aware of what can be improved or what you are overlooking..
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And what other ways do you know to be more creative?
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