Some people we say are naturally “creative people.” They seem to be the ones with the great ideas making everyone say “why didn’t I think of that?”. It makes me ponder, what is really the essence of a creative person and why do some people have this trait and others don’t? Is it even a trait? Or is it something that can be learned?
In Jack Foster’s book, “How To Get Ideas”, he states there are some key things that position creative individuals apart from the seemingly uncreative. According to the book, “An idea is nothing more nor less than a new combination of old elements.” So why is coming up with ideas often times so difficult??
Here are a couple tips taken from the book to help start the creative spark!
1) Have fun! More often than not, a creative person is having fun.
2) Realize that for every problem there is not only one, but hundreds of solutions, answers, ideas.
3) Know that the way you think about yourself is the single most important factor in finding those ideas and solutions. We’ve all heard it before, but if you think you can’t – you won’t.
4) Set your mind on goals. If you want to get ideas, imagine that you already have them.
5) Get more inputs. Be curious about the world around you. Continuously ask questions and accumulate bits of knowledge. The more elements you have, the more you can combine for great ideas.
6) Do not be afraid to fail. Voicing your ideas takes courage. It is sometimes this lack of courage that causes people to muffle their creative instincts. The fear of rejection shuts them down. Just remember: there are no bad ideas! When you forget that, remember Madame Curie had a “bad” idea that turned out to be radium.
For more tips check out the book: “How to Get Ideas” by Jack Foster.
