Becoming More Creative

Are you as creative as you’d like to be? Most of us feel we aren’t, but we know that we could be. And the good news is, becoming more creative isn’t a big secret.

The first thing you need to do is get rid of the idea that creative people are born that way. Do not buy into the old saying, “You either have it, or you don’t.” You should believe, however, that how we are raised has a lot to do with it.

However, no matter how you were brought up, if you consider yourself an adult, your life is now in your own hands. What you become is up to you. If you want to be more creative, here are some tips.

The mind is like any other muscle: the more you use it, the stronger it gets and, therefore, the more you are able to use it. The best way to get great ideas is to get lots of ideas and throw all but the best ones away. Suspend judgment of your ideas, and just get them “down on paper.” You will know quickly enough which ones are good and which aren’t feasible, at least at the moment.

It is important, too, to realize that creativity is deadened by routine and stimulated by doing things a little differently. In fact, creativity is doing something differently. So shake up your routines if you want to be more creative. (Take a different way home from work or shopping. Take a walk in the neighborhood, on streets you don’t normally see, and observe how your world opens up, if only a little.)

Finally, seek out others who you consider to be creative, and spend some time with them. Watch what they do and how they interact with the world. Listen to what they say and the words they use. Take what you feel are their best habits and make them your own.

Remember that creativity can be manifested in just about every activity under the sun. You don’t have to be an artist, musician or writer to be creative. You can bring creativity into your life no matter what your life is like. We’ll talk more about how to make your creativity bloom in the future. If you don’t already know how, you will be surprised by how easy it is and how good it feels!