Many people say they wish they could create and come up with certain ideas they see. For instance so when Instagram sold for Billions of dollars everyone gasped and said” Why didn’t I come up with that?” Then there is the other side of the coin of people who have millions of great ideas but can’t get any of their ideas moving.  This week’s guest post is from Imogen Reed and he is going to write about developing creativity and harnessing its power.

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Creativity is a mysterious thing. People have their own ideas and stereotypes about what a creative person is like – often a bohemian free-spirit, going wherever their muse leads them. But clearly not all creative people fit into that mold. Creativity takes all kinds of forms, from students of fine art, to rap battle legends.  The end products of that creativity might look totally different, but the underlying force behind them is pretty much the same. Just ask any creative type where they get their ideas from and most will answer, ‘I’m not really sure, it just kinda popped into my head!’ So what is creativity? And how can we make better use of it?

Creativity is not Intelligence

Whilst it may be hard to pinpoint exactly what creativity is, it’s easier to say what it isn’t. Research has shown that creativity isn’t related to intelligence. Your IQ is not the determining factor in how imaginative you might be.

Logic and creativity are two separate functions in the brain; usually creative thinking, imagination and intuition are attributed to the right side and logical thinking and reasoning to the left. So whilst its your right side that creates an artistic masterpiece, you’ve got to engage your left side to make sure you cover your possessions with contents insurance.

This suggests that creativity isn’t something that can be taught, at least not in the same way as maths or science are. It’s something which has to be facilitated and encouraged to develop.

In schools in the Western world, imaginative free thinking is typically not nurtured well. Good exam results, evidence, and provable theories are more sought after, as is the development of a strong work force. So pondering and thoughtfulness have become qualities that are associated with unproductiveness. Daydreaming is seen as procrastination, and when we’re not seen to be physically doing something, we get called lazy. But when we look at these seemingly inactive pursuits a little more closely, we can see that they are in fact crucial.

Some of the world’s most influential and successful entrepreneurs, film makers, writers, artists, musicians, etc., aren’t people who thrived in school. James Cameron, the director of Titanic and Avatar, dropped out of college. P Diddy, who is reported to be worth $500 million, also didn’t finish college. They may not have been academics (which is the usual measure of intelligence) but they were people who knew how to stay open to and value their imaginations, and they both cultivated this in order to become the successes they are today.

How Can I Be More Creative?

Any creative person will tell you that you can’t force inspiration. This is part of the reason why it’s so mysterious, because it can’t be controlled or summoned at will. However, there are things you can do that will help you be more open to it.

Imagination needs space. Creative thinking comes more easily when you’ve got the space to be playful, to throw ideas around, to listen to anything and everything that your mind reveals to you, so that you can pick and choose what’s worth paying attention to. It’ll be hard to make full use of your creative mind when you’re having to think of phoning the gas company or what you’re going to eat for your evening meal. So find somewhere to go where you have sufficient freedom from the tasks of everyday life.

Time really goes hand in hand with space. You need to know you don’t have to be anywhere and that you don’t have to do anything for X amount of time. Make sure to give yourself enough time too. A half hour slot might not give you the time you need to switch your thinking away from day to day chores and worries and onto welcoming in new bright ideas. Reversely, don’t give yourself too much time; otherwise you might exhaust your muse.

Have confidence in your creativity. Sure, not every idea you have will be worth following through with, but if you keep at it you’ll discover some real nuggets of gold. Don’t be disheartened if others think you’re ‘wasting your time’. What they perceive as you doing nothing, is you simply taking the time to build your dreams.

And finally, don’t worry if you have some crap ideas. One of them may well be the stepping stone to your million dollar bright spark.

Related articles

• Boosting Creativity With Psychology! (ccdc12.wordpress.com)
• It’s Funny What a Little Spark of Creativity Can Do (smallbiztrends.com)
• Creativity 2012 – Week #19 (my-creativeteam.com)
• The Power of Doing Instead of Trying (ashy2classy.net)
• Participating in OpenForum 2012 and OpenForumYouthSummit in Cape Town, South Africa (msafropolitan.com)
• Question of the day: Too Old to Fight? (writerzblockblog.wordpress.com)
• Don’t Worry It Wasn’t Your Time (ashy2classy.net)