Have Fun Learning Creativity

You have some great ideas. You toss them around in your mind. You tell friends about them. They go nowhere. Why? They go nowhere because of what your friends said or because you have the misconception that only a select few are able to unleash a steady flow of creative genius. And, you, of course, couldn't be one of that select group. That is not true at all.

Anyone who has creative genius will tell you that creativity is very much like a muscle that needs to be developed in order to perform at top efficiency. If you don't learn how to develop creative thinking, this skill, like a muscle will become withered and useless to you when you most need it. On the other hand, keep working at it and this skill will soon be ready for action whenever you need it.

So how do you develop your own personal style of creative thinking?

Well, the first thing is to realize your brain has a greater capacity and speed than the world's biggest and fastest super computer. That's right! Even the world's biggest and fastest super computer cannot store as much information or handle it faster than your brain. You are not limited like a super computer because your brain is not limited and that's where creativity comes from - your brain. It doesn't come from thin air, it comes from within you and you already have the tools needed to exercise it.

So, the first thing is to begin absorbing as much information as you can every day. Grab as much knowledge and learning as you can find. Read, watch, and listen to everything available -- good and bad. Don't judge anything at this point of development because it's not the content that is important, only the process of absorption. Keep your mind open to the infinite possibilities that each piece of information presents. The more you know, the more you'll want to know, and the more your brain will be exercised. Prepare to be amazed at little facts that add a bit of color to your conversations with people. They will begin to see you in a new light.

Next, focus on a creative activity every day. This is as simple as doodling. Doodling is a creative activity. Don't let anything hinder you. Just doodle away, mindlessly. You will unleash a little bit of creative thinking and it will be encouraging to see something you created. In addition to doodling, practice drawing something specific for a couple of minutes each day. You might unleash the artist in you.

Or, grab a camera and start snapping photos of anything and everything. Don't try to be "artsy,” just snap away! You might find you have a knack for photography.

Keep a journal and make a point to write in it at the end of each day. Describe your experiences using words that capture your five senses. What did it smell like, taste like, feel like - you get the idea? You may discover a writer lurking in your brain.

In a short time you'll have built yourself a tiny portfolio or doodles, art, photographs and writings and you'll be amazed at the growth of your creativity. You might actually enjoy those exercises so much that they will become a part of you and you'll be addicted to them.

You've heard it said - Think out of the box. Well, not just yet. Be aware of constraints or blocks to your creative process. Constraints are actually a good thing. It's your brain telling you it needs more knowledge about that which you are struggling. Constraints are the brain's mechanisms to force discipline upon you. Discipline forces you to be more resourceful. Creative freedom is great, but limitations are too. There must be balance.

Oscar winner, Anthony Hopkins, would just get in his car and drive across country alone with no destination in particular. It helped him experience different people in different parts of the country, away from the unreality of Hollywood. These little trips helped him to become a better actor.

Try something new every day and let your experiences broaden your view of the world and people around you. Explore a new neighborhood in your town. Spend an afternoon in a museum to which you've never been before. Chat up someone in the checkout line at the store. You need to open up to the people around you. You need to step out of your comfort zone more and more each day. This will heighten your sense of adventure and your zest for life.

Think about it. When was the last time you did something out of your comfort zone? When you stay in your comfort zone, you miss out on a whole lot of experiences that could add to your growth - emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually.

I would love to try bungee jumping and skydiving but I'm a coward when it comes to risking life and limb. If you have the courage, go for it! At the very least, you will have plenty of exciting stories to share, enabling you to develop your storytelling skills, making you the life of any gathering. People will love to hear you tell about doing the things they only dream of doing.

This next thing will seem nutty. It is. You need to embrace insanity. I'm not talking about the kind that will land you in a rubber room. As John Russell once said, "Sanity calms, but madness (insanity) is more interesting."

History shows that nearly every creative thinker was once deemed insane by "normal" people. Lucky for us, the critics couldn't stop the creative geniuses from changing the world. Being "normal" confines’ people to think - normally, that is, to think within limits society has deemed to be normal. Creativity is essentially ignoring those limits, within the Law, of course. Your creativity may seem bizarre and downright strange to the "normals.” Ignore them and seek out others who also ignore the "normals" of this world. They will know how to help you to cultivate your new sense of creativity.

Now, a word of caution as you step out in your search for creativity. Don't strive to develop a creative "personality." There is a difference between a creative personality and creative thinking. Examples of wacky creative personalities would be George Washington, who often rode into battle naked, or James Joyce, who wrote "Dubliners" with beetle juice because he had an intense fear of ink, or Albert Einstein, who thought his cat was a spy sent by his rival. They were all great men, for sure, but a little wacky at times because they lost touch with reality.

It's important that your creativity doesn't blind you to the real world. Keep your feet on the ground and your head in the clouds! (Look familiar?)

Starting today, begin thinking beyond your "limits." Follow these steps and you'll soon be living a life full of interesting and exciting adventures. Your new level creative thinking will bring about a new zest for living life.

Who knows, your idea might be the next great idea to change the world.

Jim DeSantis

About the Author

Jim DeSantis is a retired broadcast journalist who publishes the On Line Tribune Mind Stuff blog. For ebooks on Creativity, visit Jim's website.

Source: Motivational Articles on ArticlesTree.com





Recent Motivational Articles

IM Not A Failure! Failure Is Not An Option!
Have you ever for a moment after a set back, big or small thought that you are a failure, that you do not have a chance? Big fat failure, right? Time to give up, right? I think at some time in our lives we all have thought this.

Inspirations : Discipline
Inspirations : 'Discipline' - is a systematic instruction rendered to a disciple. An instruction given to follow a certain code of conduct or to adhere to a particular order. This would lead us to 'Self Discipline', which would mean to apply a self-imposed restraint on oneself to adopt a virtue to follow a particular pattern of behaviour or to follow the best course of action.

Manifestation Exercise # 11 - Discovering the Hidden Positives Behind The Negati...
This is a good exercise to use when you want to discover what is really going on behind the scenes of your negative experiences. There is something positive beyond them - you just need to discover what it is.

Surviving Monday
Surviving Monday Nobody’s favorite day of the week is Monday. But for someone between jobs, Monday can be especially tough. My friend Dana didn’t see it coming when the corporation she worked for laid her off last month.

How To Be A Role Model
In any human community there is always a role model of a man. He is the head of the pack, and dictates the pace. In the circle of the youth or at the colleges and in high schools, the students worship him as an the intellectual.

Lets Get The Most Out Of Life
"If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got." - Jackis "Moms" Mabley How true is that! Most of us live on a schedule that is basically planned out from day to day, and month to month.

Motivation Techniques - Using Power Motivation To Stimulate Anyone To Action
In this article, I'll reveal some amazing motivation techniques and tips to bring out the fire in anyone. With the right words and encouragement, you can make anyone passionate about a certain task or subject.

Life coaching, Toronto, Canada
Life Coaching has seemingly become a luxury that only people who are reasonably well-off are able to enjoy. An average 1 hour phone call with a life coach can cost up to $200, and packages for several months can be priced at thousands of dollars.

the guru donothavetounlessyouwantto
donot's world Once upon a time in a land far far away, there lived a learned Guru called Donothavetounlessyouwantto (known as Donot to his friends (although most people pronounced it "Doughnut")). The world that Donot lived in was very strange indeed! In this world people had come together to make their lives easier and more comfortable.

The law of attraction, Toronto, Canada
The movie' the Secret' was about the law of attraction, and told us that we have to focus all our thoughts on what it is we truly desire, which, in turn, channels our energy in its direction, thereby attracting it to us with a magnetic pull.

Anyone Can Do This - It's Easy
Many people want to be successful. They want to have wealth. Or fame. Or acclaim. How can this be done? We can start by saying that being successful, having wealth etc is easy. There are many successful famous people who have become that way by doing things that are not especially difficult - singing a song, inventing something, chatting to their friends and family about detergent.

Have Fun Learning Creativity
You have some great ideas. You toss them around in your mind. You tell friends about them. They go nowhere. Why? They go nowhere because of what your friends said or because you have the misconception that only a select few are able to unleash a steady flow of creative genius.

How to Create a Mindset for Success
Are your relationships less than satisfying? Do you have a job that pays the bills, but you want a career that you can enjoy for a lifetime? Would you like to lose some weight and get fit, but you do not have the willpower to stick with a program? Would you like to be able to do more with your finances than barely keep up with the bills? Then, you need successful life strategies.

How to Lead a Stress-Free Life
When you were born you did not come with a set of instructions. In fact, if you are an only/eldest child, you parents might have raised you with a lot of trial and error. Growing up, you have probably anticipated the glories of adulthood, only to find out that it was not so bad being a kid.

How to Overcome Resistance to Change
Maybe your life can be better, but certain aspects would definitely have to change. If you are like me, change is very difficult. You get stuck in a rut; but, the rut is familiar, and if not perfect, it is comfortable.