Yes, you can develop creativity, inventiveness, and imagination.
Creativity is a dynamic process, it is a living and changing force of the human being; that is to say, it is the engine of personal development and has been the basis for the progress of every culture.
Creativity is an indispensable element of every human being. In this blog post, I will present the concepts of creativity within the field of psychology (the science that has studied it the most). Also, you will learn some techniques that will help you to be more creative.
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Background
Although the concept of creativity is used colloquially in different facets of current life, in reality, the term has been the subject of research in various areas since the beginning of the 20th century; psychology and pedagogy were the first disciplines to study it.
Since then there has been a great curiosity to know the process of producing ideas and solving problems. This was done with the clear purpose of teaching to think originally and practically.
Creativity is assumed to be the ability to produce something new. However, some disagreements have arisen due to the different paths that the investigations have taken. Some of these investigations focused on the subject while others concentrate on the process, which makes it difficult to fully understand the concept of creativity.
Develop Creativity: Studies and Scholar References
Some researchers affirm that “there is no unitary definition of creativity. However, this does not mean that there is not a common denominator of the different concepts of this quality. This common denominator accentuates the idea of something new, regardless of how new it may be ” (Dimensions of Creativity. Margaret A. Boden, editor. © 1994 The MIT Press).
Many authors consider creativity as a process, a set of phases to follow, certain characteristics that a person must have and, of course, a process that results in something that must be new, original and that must serve to solve some problem. However, there is no clear definition.
In any case, creativity is a capacity that exists in all human beings, used for solving problems and that requires existing realities. Based on some research, creativity could be defined as “the set of skills linked to the personality of the human being that allows him, based on previous information, and through a series of internal (cognitive) processes, in which said transformation information, the solution of problems with originality and efficiency ” (Re-evaluating Creativity: The Individual, Society and Education 1st ed. 2017 by
Something that we can affirm is that there are no people without creativity and that, like any other quality, they must be exercised since we are children.
A State of Create Global Benchmark Study conducted by Adobe highlighted the fact that only 25% of people believe they are living up to their potential to be creative, and more than 75% of people feel that their countries are not living up to their collective potential to be creative.
Types of Creativity
- Plastic. It is related to shapes, colors, textures, proportions, and volumes, it is manifested in visual arts such as architecture, sculpture and painting, and even in other activities related to spaces, such as cinematography, television production, choreography, among others.
- Flowing. It is the creativity of feelings, affections, and attitudes; Values, longings and dreams, the imaginative, the symbolism and the chimerical spirit, the religious and the mystical predominate in it.
- Philosophical. This type of creativity can flourish in the generalization of knowledge and interpretation of the world, for example:
- A conceptual way of thinking, which transforms images into symbols.
- An application of comparisons, metaphors, and analogies.
- A refinement of science that lights the way for humanity.
- Scientific. Apply ingenuity and talent in the investigation of new knowledge, take advantage of the happy occurrences in any phase of the method and not only when developing hypotheses or generating solution options, as one might superficially think.
- Inventive. It is the talented application of ideas, theories, and resources to solving the problems of ordinary work. It is not limited to the design of utensils, tools or devices, but includes organizations and processes that become methods. The entire set produced can be called technology.
- Social. It is creativity in human relationships; it generates the organizations and institutions through whose operation the peaceful and provider coexistence between the groups of the society is optimized. Its goal is excellence in happy coexistence, in general, and particular well-being, and in obtaining the common good.
The Dynamics To Develop Creativity
Creativity, as we have already discussed, basically consists of establishing new connections between existing ideas. However, for these types of connections to occur, there must be certain dynamics related to creative thinking.
A creative person seeks to have original ideas of greater scope within the context to be developed, pretends the shocking, consider the different points of view, evaluates and analyzes in a broader perspective and accepts ideas or opinions as levels of complexity. Therefore, it is important to note that the development of these levels is influenced by two types of thinking.
Scientists define two types of thinking: linear and lateral. The first provides us with a logical process through a traditional methodology, while the second involves disorganizing a logical sequence and arriving at a solution from another angle. Both are equally necessary for the dynamics of creativity, since with lateral thinking we create ideas, while with linear thinking we develop, select and use them.
Other professionals also define these two kinds of thinking:
Convergent. It induces an automatic response, which is given by the association we make with the context in which the situation develops, then we use our experience and make an analysis based on that basic experience.
Divergent. It is essentially characterized by the search for multiple answers or alternatives to solve a problem. It unfolds in multiple directions, searches from different perspectives, uses different approaches and possible knowledge.
These two different ways of approaching an intellectual activity, far from being opposed in practice, are totally complementary in creative processes.
By analyzing these different points of view, we can conclude that creativity is a psychological process, it begins spontaneously, it arises, it is verified and it is exploited; that is, it has a certain order and its development will depend on the individual. However, it is a process that can be developed following some techniques.
From the The TED Talks channel: On the subject of creativity, author Tim Harford shares how innovators like Einstein, Darwin, Twyla Tharp and Michael Crichton found their inspiration and productivity through cross-training their minds.
The Reasons For The Lack of Creativity
As is often in short supply, creativity is a highly valued skill. So much so that 8 out of 10 people consider it important and 60% of company managers believe that it is one of the most important qualities of leadership.
Picasso already said it: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to maintain the artist when he grows up ”.
Why would you think that when we are little, we can come up with all kinds of ideas? However, as we grow older, it is so difficult to unleash our creativity?
Based on what I have read, there are two great enemies. These are: fear and perfectionism.
Fear
If you think about this for a moment, you will realize that when you get stuck and don’t know how to develop creativity, you don’t really have a creativity problem. The real roadblock is that you are afraid. Therefore, I invite you to consider the following:
- Fear of not being original.
- Fear of the judgment of others.
- Fear of looking like an impostor.
- Fear of not liking everyone.
- Fear, after all.
The best approach to deal with fear then would be to face it. A great strategy to achieve this is by analyzing what triggers the lack of creativity and identify the emotions you feel. In that way you will know how to overcome the particular fear.
Perfectionism
Perfectionism is like a parasite that takes control of the mind. The main impact of perfectionism is its paralyzing effect in the execution of tasks and how it slows down our ability to develop creativity.
When you look at it closely, it is relatively easy to recognize that we do not need to insist on pursuing perfection.
The best approach to avoid falling into perfectionism would be to experiment, test, enjoy and embrace the natural imperfection that comes about with every effort and in every aspect of life. We need to think that there will always be time and opportunities to improve.
Strategies to Develop Creativity
Now you have a good background on the topic of creativity, to include what causes roadblocks and lack of creativity. Let me shift gears and offer you some thoughts about what strategies and techniques you can use to develop creativity.
1. Write Down All The Ideas
In many occasions you have had a good idea, but it has come at the most inopportune moment. The bad thing is those good ideas are easily forgotten. Sometimes we believe that we will remember these ideas and decide that we will take action later. Experience has proven that if you leave it for the next day you will forget.
Therefore, if you want to develop creativity, get used to always carrying a notebook (and a pen) with you to write down ALL the ideas you can think of.
If you don’t like notebooks or want to use pen and paper, you can rely on the electronic devices. We live in the age of mobile phones and tablets. These devices, combined with a lot of applications (like Trello, EverNote, Notepad, etc.) or even a voice memo, will definitely do the trick.
The idea here is to never dismiss any idea as a “bad one”. You should keep all of them. Perhaps some of these ideas that may not seem feasible today, may look good and feasible later, when the circumstances change.
2. “Steal”…Emulate…Make it Better
You may wander why I mentioned “stealing” ideas, but the short answer is: Yes.
Although it sounds surprising, in some occasions, creativity is sparked on the ideas of others. The key point here that I am talking about using the ideas of other to help you grow and not at the action of copying. In other words, I am referring to the effort of emulating and not at the action of imitating.
We can almost say with a high degree of certainty that nothing is 100% original. When we talk about something being original, we really mean that we do not know all about a particular topic, but we can actually research and repackage the information adding our own personal perspective or point of view.
The problem is that we often confuse being creative and original with being the first. However, the fact is that originality and creativity are based on how you address the specific subject.
Therefore, my simple advice is to give your personal touch, including your opinion, perspective, point of view, and voice to all your thoughts, as well as idea. Doing this will allow you to be creative.
3. Get in a Habit of Developing Creativity
Let’s face it, motivation is dynamic. Like a “moving target”, motivation is a changing emotion that comes and goes. As such, it cannot be the main engine or mechanism that drives your work or creativity.
If you rely only on motivation to develop creativity, you will likely be drawn to futility and roadblocks. Therefore, the question then is: how do you establish a habit to develop creativity?
The more you force your brain to be creative, the less you will have to ask yourself how to develop creativity.
A good practice to get in this habit is to have a creativity journal. Once you do that, I recommend that you pick a time (preferably when your creative juices are most likely to flow) and force yourself to write down ideas. Don’t too much stake in measuring the quality of the ideas, just concentrate in the main objective of getting into a habit. This approach will help you train your mind.
From the The TED Talks channel: On the subject of creativity, author Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius.
4. Pursue Something You Are Passionate About
You don’t need to be an expert to create great content or have good ideas. You just need to be passionate about what you do.
If a particular topic and/or task doesn’t interest you, it will be very difficult to almost impossible for you to be able to create original and quality content constantly. On the other hand, if the topic for which you want to develop ideas is in your blood, this will likely awaken the fluidity of thoughts that will make the effort enjoyable.
Some people develop a passion for a hobby or something manual like crafting. In case you are already doing a form of crafting or considering starting on it, I invite you to read my blog post on “Quilting for Beginners”, as well as “10 Benefits of Crafting for Adults” and “6 Benefits of Textile Crafting”. Perhaps these blog post will give you the motivation to start doing some form of crafting.
5. Discover Your Most Creative Moment
When we think about how to develop creativity, we tend to forget the importance of knowing our best moments.
Just as you are not as productive at some hours as others, your creativity does not remain at the same level throughout the day. Therefore, we need to be more observant and aware of our thoughts, moves, and ideas to detect when the fluidity of these ideas is at its peak and greatest productivity level.
If you can identify your most creative moments of the day and reserve the tasks that require a higher dose of this skill, you will easily break the roadblocks and become more creative. This can be done in a practical and objective fashion, in which you can capitalize to develop your creativity.
6. Take Advantage of The Mathematics of Creativity
Creativity is also a matter of mathematics.
According to writer and entrepreneur James Altucher, there are two great strategies you can use to develop creativity. These are adding and subtracting ideas.
- Adding of ideas: choose an idea and get 10 more from that first idea. Then, get 10 more for each new idea you have written down. Can you imagine the burst of creativity that you will end up having?
- Subtraction of ideas: would you like to do something, but you think it will be impossible for you to do it? How about if you focus on why it is not possible. Then, work out options to remove it from the equation and find a way to make it happen.
7. Get Inspiration From Good Sources
The ways that you employ to grow and develop creativity is directly related to the quality of the sources you used to get your information and inspiration. You will definitely improve your creativity, if you read books by authors who inspire you and those who you admire. On the contrary, if you read books of poor quality or questionable authors, you will get information that would be counterproductive in your quest to develop creativity.
In addition to reading good content, I recommend that you get your inspiration from a large quantity of quality sources and authors. The more sources you have, the easier it will be for you to develop own and original point of view.
8. Try Something New
Leaving your comfort zone and exposing yourself to situations you did not know enhances the development of creativity. This is an attitude we see more often in children. Because of this, I invite you to read our blog post on “Benefits of Creative Craft for Children”. There you will find some ideas to put into practice to take advantage of the children curiosity to foster creative thinking. This is of special importance because children have not fear, are social and like to explore new things.
On the other hand, for use adults a good way to get out of our comfort zone and the environment that we experience every day is to travel. When you get to know other countries and other cultures, you learn new ways of dealing with problems. While visiting other countries is the preferred approach, you an also learn from just getting out of the house and explore your neighborhood, town, city, and country where you live.
Experience the outdoors. Try doing a picnic in a park or near a body of water. Get in the habit of meeting people and engage in a dialog to learn about different aspects of life. Try to be more social.
9. Connect Ideas
Going back to James Altucher, he calls this strategy “idea sex“
It consists of taking two ideas that have no relation to each other and looking for a way to unite them.
This exercise will help you establish new connections of ideas and develop the ability to analyze from new perspectives and approaches.
10. Get a Good Night Sleep
Lack of rest literally kills creativity.
Science has proven that rest is a weapon to develop creativity. In the article “A New Theory Linking Sleep and Creativity” the author Ed Yong makes a compelling argument showing how the two main phases of sleep might work together to boost creative problem-solving.
When sleeping, the level of stress is reduced and access to information from the subconscious is facilitated, generating new connections of ideas.
In reading this article on “Creativity and Sleep” I found out, among other according things that the latest scientific studies point to the fact that 30% of people increase their creativity after sleeping.
11. Relax
Just like sleeping, if you want to develop creativity, you need to feel relaxed.
The most important thing is to find time without any distractions. This is time in silence without internal or external noise.
Did you know that 72% of people have good ideas in the shower? Well, the Hansgrohe study found out that “The brightest ideas begin in the shower.”
There is a rationale for this. Hot water is relaxing and more dopamine is released, which is a stimulant of creativity.
Likewise, even if you are an entrepreneur and have an endless list of things to do, you also need to take time off and go on a vacation to relax. This will allow you to set aside the noise” of your professional life and have time to recharge.
12. Consider Novel Challenges
Challenges are great way to train the mind and the brain to develop creativity.
I just read the article “How a $50 Bet Helped Dr. Seuss Sell $600 Million Worth of Books”. This is a true fascinating story detailing how the writer Theodor Seuss (known as Dr. Seuss) won a $50 bet challenging him to write a book using only 50 words. He accepted the challenge and the rest is history. His children’s story Green Eggs and Ham was created becoming one of the three most popular stories among children and teachers ever.
Therefore, always challenge yourself. Do not settle for those things that seem easy or simply familiar to you. Think outside the box, even if the ideas sound crazy and you will see how creativity will develop, thus becoming almost natural.
From Pierzak’s Meat for Thought YouTube Channel: 10 ideas a day by James Altucher- How to be more creative?
13. Avoid Being a Workaholic
Are you a workaholic? This type of approach to the business is bad for productivity and performance. It definitely does not help toward creating an environment conducive to new ideas.
Workaholism literally kills creativity.
If you want to develop creativity, reserve a couple of hours at the beginning of the day for yourself.
Spending the first two hours of the day focusing on your spiritual life by praying or taking a walk, having a leisurely breakfast or doing whatever you want (that has nothing to do with work) paves the way for creativity to sprout in the rest of your day.
This article by the Palm Beach Research Group titled: “How to cure workaholism and be more creative”, has some insights on how to deal with workaholism and develop a creative mindset.
14. Get In Motion…Exercise
Standing up and engaging in some form of exercise promotes the formulation of new ideas.
The increased blood supply to the brain caused by sports and the absence of stress while exercising makes it easier to develop creativity.
If you spend many hours sitting in front of the television and/or computer, you already have another reason to start exercising.
Quoting from the article from the Huffpost titled “Regular Exercise Could Boost Creativity”: “Exercising on a regular basis may thus act as a cognitive enhancer promoting creativity in inexpensive and healthy ways,” study researcher Lorenza Colzato, a cognitive psychology at Leiden University in the Netherlands, said in a statement.
Therefore, let’s get in motion to develop creativity!
15. Be Consistent, Determined, and Relentless
There is no better trick to develop creativity than to identify opportunities, take action, obtain results, reassess the outcome, make adjustments, and try again. This effort is continuous and the idea is to repeat it over and over again.
If you take this approach, before you know it, you will have created a habit. This will become your own system to feed your creativity and your mind with a determined attitude towards looking at everything as an opportunity.
In time, the consistency, determination and relentless execution of this process will turn into an inexhaustible source of ideas.
In Summary
Developing creativity can be part of your learning process. However, this will only happen if you make an effort to get out of your comfort zone and seriously work on modifying certain habits.
So, the question still remain: Can you develop creativity? I hope that after reading this blog post you can say Yes!
Like any other effort you truly want to achieve, the essence and drive to develop creativity is based on perseverance, drive, determination, and effort.
If you apply some of the strategies mentioned in this blog post you can be well on your way and on the path to be a more creative person. You will be able to face your fears and avoid falling into the perfectionism “trap”.
Where you familiar with any of these strategies on how to develop creativity? I would love to hear from you and in specific, what techniques have you used (or are currently using) to awaken your creativity.
Thanks for these tips! Didn’t know there were so many types of creativity. But yes, sometimes you just have to dive in whatever project then the ideas will start to flow!
Kathleen, thanks very much for commenting on the blog post. I am trying to expand the reach and find a way to educate people well beyond just focusing on the benefits of crafting. The fact is that we have many avenues to consider in reaching out deeper for creative juices. We just need to put forth a concerted effort into this.
Great article.
I particularly agree with you regarding Perfectionism. I have known so many creative people struggle with this. They are never fully happy with their work and so hung up on tiny details. Of course taking pride in your work/craft is great, but perfectionism can be such a block to getting projects finished.
Sometimes I have to force myself to stop when a project is “completed enough”
Such a great post, so educational. I am currently an art teacher and the struggle is real when it comes to creativity in secondary students. It’s hard to “teach” creativity but I love creating a space for it to foster and develop. Thanks for sharing!