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SEVEN CREATIVE TIPS
Just like every manifesto you read in your life, I suggest that you take advantage of the information you find useful and put some of the advices in practice. I’m not defending any theory or affirming that it is the right path to follow when looking for creative insight. I can say that It works for me! It is just a little bit of experience of my own creative world that I want to share with you. I hope you enjoy the trip around my crazy head.
1) Everything is Under Your Nose
Being creative is much more than have an original and authentic idea. Don’t get me wrong! I’m not suggesting plagiarism. I’m just saying that very often, it is just a new ways to look at things. Creative people transform what has always been there. Everybody passed by, but nobody really paid attention. That is why being curious and audacious are essential qualities of creative minds.
2) Build Your Library
Life experience is a very important component of a creative mind. That’s because your memory is your primary source of ideas. The more experience and knowledge you have the bigger your “library”. Go outside, meet people, smile and talk to them. It is very important to socialize and get real insights about people’s needs. A solution to these needs can be of great use in a product innovation, for example.
3) Work on Your Inspiration
A famous artist was asked if to write the lyrics of his song was difficult. His answer was: It is ether easy or impossible. In this affirmation he suggests that creativity is something we’re born with or we’ll never have. I don’t agree. Of course some people have more creative skills, but as mentioned before, it is related to the way you perceived the world around you. You can train your perception and induce your creativity with a variety of technics.
4) Get out of Your Comfort Zone
We are all born with genuine skills that we use with almost no effort. Some of us draw, sing and play guitar; others learn math, writing, dancing, and painting and become experts. But what about trying something new? Getting out of your comfort zone can be an inspiring experience. If you are good at singing why not get your hands wet with some paint. Every time you experience something new your brain does different connections and it affects the way you perceive the world.
5) Search it all
Internet can be your best friend in the beginning of a creative project and it is probably the first step a creative takes to visualize what has been done in a certain field. This overview is important to be ahead of what’s been done and come up with unexpected ideas.
6) Ideas need action
I grew up listening stories of creative people who took notes of ideas in pub napkins. Today it became easier. Everyone has a cellphone with features that allow many ways to save ideas. You can write it, write on a paper or napkin and take a picture or simply record your voice. You can even write an email to yourself or save your ideas direct in the cloud. But none of these is enough. No good idea is recognized unless it is presented to the audience, so take your ideas out of your paper! (Or the phone). Start to think about ideas you can turn into reality. Action is a very important step every creator needs to take in order to succeed.
7) Ideas need time
It is common that the answer you are looking for doesn’t come up the first time you look at the problem. That’s because ideas need time to be formulated. The most important advice I can give you is: Be Prepared! You need to know exactly what you are looking for in order to recognize the answer whenever you see it. Remember, it can be anywhere around you.
