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Harness Your Creativity
You may have grown up believing that you are not creative. In fact all of us are creative – we just need to know how to tap into our creativity and unleash its potential. Here are some techniques to help you get your creative juices flowing.
Be an Explorer
Continuously seek new ideas and approaches; be open to trying them. Keep yourself abreast of changes in your industry via reading and networking. Hire a mentor who will challenge your thinking and help you discover new creative paths.
In a recent interview with Fortune magazine, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, was asked about Apple’s rumoured launch of an iCar.
Although Cook refused to be drawn in providing any details, he shared Apple’s philosophy, “We’re curious people. We explore technologies, and we explore products. We talk about a lot of things and we do fewer. We don’t have to spend large amounts to explore.”
Look for more than one solution
People tend to have been indoctrinated with the one-answer, one-solution approach. When you have a challenge, try instead to stretch yourself and generate a number of possible solutions. Often you will find that it’s in fact not your first idea which is your best.
Advertising agencies adopt this approach very successfully when they appoint two or three creative teams to crack a client brief for a new advertising campaign. Each team works separately and develops a possible creative idea. The agency is then able to select the best one to present to its client.
Change your routine
Have you ever noticed how making a change in your habits often allows you to see things from a fresh perspective? This is a way for you to unleash new thinking.
Being creative is often about breaking out of old patterns to create new ones. If your approach continues to be the same, you are going to get the same results.
I know someone who, whenever she feels bogged down, changes her sleeping patterns. Instead of going to bed at 11 pm and getting up at 6 am, she goes to bed at 9 pm and gets up at 4 am. Just changing this pattern seems to stimulate new ideas and creativity.
Keep the balance
How many times has your gruelling schedule resulted in you feeling jaded and uninspired? This is probably when your creativity is at its lowest ebb.
There’s a Zen saying, “A bow that is kept forever taut will break.” To nurture your creativity, it’s imperative that you introduce balance, having time for both work and play. Instead of a 3 week holiday once a year, health practitioners advise there’s far more benefit to be derived from a week away once every quarter. It will re-charge your batteries and get your creative juices firing again.