Related Articles
We know that spending dedicated time actually thinking about a problem often leads to some great results. We also know that crafting unique and creative solutions for our challenges can drive wonderful business growth.
Then why don’t people spend more time on deep thinking? And how can you get started on the road to being more creative?
There always seems to be the dreaded creativity comparison — “I’m no Paul McCartney.”
How many times have you heard this? People assume because they are not a creative legend that they don’t have what it takes to deliver unique and creative results. We talk ourselves out of even trying to be creative because we didn’t write “Let It Be.” We think it’s some magic formula people have that allows them to be creative.
While some people are naturally creative and have amazing creative output, that doesn’t mean you can’t find your own rhythm with your own creative processes. These are procedures, not a bolt of lightning from above.
We’re prone to resist change.
When we experience change, we might experience a fight-or-flight response. But once we start working on a problem and accomplishing our goals, reward systems like dopamine start kicking in. This is what it means to “be on a roll.” Athletes, songwriters and authors know this well and have learned to conquer this resistance to change. Embrace this slightly negative feeling that comes from trying something new and it will get easier and very rewarding.
Don’t confuse hard thinking with working hard.
We talk ourselves out of trying to be creative because we are unsure if it will deliver results. It’s much easier to fall into a pattern of answering emails in the morning than it is to simply think about a problem. We somehow feel we aren’t getting real work done. But have you noticed that while you are in the shower or out for a run, you come up with solutions to problems? That’s dedicated, creative thinking in action.
Every problem is multifaceted.
Write down your problem or challenge and look at it from various angles. Breaking it down this way can fuel alternative thinking for your creative solutions. The more you analyze individual components of your problem, the better equipped you will be to come up with unique ideas.
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Find creative methods that work for you.
We are all different and therefore creative techniques that work for some don’t work for others. There are many resources for various creativity methods so I won’t go into them all here. This article is intended to motivate the creative process so you can find your own canvas for creativity.
Here are some rules I follow for any creative process: Get away from things that distract you. Of course, your computer and mobile phone are probably your worst distractions, so put them aside. I also like to get out a good old-fashioned pencil and paper when I want to get creative. I find that using a pencil and paper activates more parts of my brain than typing does. Even when I am having fun and recording into a computer, the lyrics go down on old-fashioned paper with a pencil, for good reason.
Use techniques that let you get outside your normal thinking processes.
This is crucial to unlocking ideas you wouldn’t normally think of — the more “outside” the better. Don’t be afraid even if it seems strange.
For example, compare your challenge to something completely unrelated. Let’s say you need to improve your sales process. Let’s compare how improving your sales process is similar to designing a building. The building needs the proper soil compaction and grading before you even start to think about the foundation. This can lead to ideas on fundamental preparation for your sales process that you might not have thought of before. This process can be endless in the creative thoughts you come up with.
Force yourself to see relationships in dissimilar things. Several years ago, I was tasked with creating a value proposition for a wonderful, sustainable architectural firm in Los Angeles. I’ll be honest — I was a little intimidated because this organization exuded creativity from its core. I needed some very different inspiration.
I went to the art world and watched TED Talks on art, studied professional critiques of famous paintings and watched several round-table discussions on where the art world is today. Separately, I even looked at the art of pantomime for some reason, which was really outside the box. I then compared what I learned to the message I was trying to create for the architectural firm. That exercise was hugely beneficial to getting my creative juices flowing.
Perseverance is crucial to success.
Jeff Beck is one of the hardest-working guitar players on the planet and it shows. Da Vinci worked on the Mona Lisa for several years. Perseverance breeds success and success breeds a positive attitude. If you think you are creative, you will be and you’ll be motivated to work hard on your creative challenges.
So grab a cup of coffee, a tablet (the paper kind) and a good old-fashioned No. 2 pencil and get started. Your own Mona Lisa is just waiting to appear.
