You can choose to be creative. But you have to put in the work to stay inspired and transform creativity into a habit.

To keep inspired, you must engage a beginner’s mind.When we were kids, we asked lots of questions and looked at the world wide–eyed, soaking it all in. Everywhere we turned, we think, “Isn’t that interesting?”As we become older, however, we adopt an “I already know about that” attitude, inadvertently stifling our innate creativity.

Beginner’s Mind

The vast majority of us have conditioned our minds to equate “creative” with “artistic.”It is not!Creativity is not a trait you are either born or not born with.

Creative Is Not Artistic

If what you do for a living isn’t what you’re passionate about, think again!People have one of three distinct attitudes toward the work they do: they see it as either a job, a career, or a calling.For those who pursue a calling, their work is intrinsically rewarding in its own right. So, what they do professionally fulfills them personally as well.

Love What You Do

The notion that some people have creativity embedded in their DNA and some people don’t is a myth.We all have tons of creative potential waiting to be tapped.Even though creativity gets blocked in us, it can be unlocked.All it takes to regain your creative sparks is for you to change your mindset — to lose all the erroneous notions.

We Are Not Born With It

Having a strong support network will ensure you have a regular flow of ideas.Our modern society often portrays creative individuals as lone, rugged geniuses.The truth, is that creative people treat creativity as a team sport; most of their best ideas stem from collaborating with other people.Surround yourself with like–minded people who can help reinforce or challenge your points of view.

Support Network

Creative confidence is about believing in your innate ability to change your world.People who come to believe that they can cause change are more likely to accomplish what they set out to do.This personal conviction is called self–efficacy.Individuals with self–efficacy set higher goals, try harder, persevere longer, and show more resilience in the face of failure.

Self Efficacy

To keep your creative juice flowing, you must think like a traveler.Have you heard that travel broadens the mind?While this sounds cliché, beneath it lies a fundamental truth: things stand out because they’re different.When we are in a new environment, we tend to notice every detail, from street signs to mailboxes. On a trip, we observe the environment around us with intense curiosity. We are constantly trying to figure out a world that is different and new.

Think Like A Traveler

Stop planning and start doing.Great creative works are always preceded by action.When you apply the beginner’s mindset, you will begin to notice more opportunities for action around you. However, seeing is not enough.You still have to act!All the planning and talking without action are actually signs that you are afraid. You want everything to be perfect before you start creating.The truth is, the right time might not come anytime soon. So, to get things done as a creative, you need to dive right in and commit to rapid and endless improvements.

Creativity Needs Action

If you don’t know what you’re born to do or what you’re really good at, a good way to find out is by pursuing interests or hobbies: side projects.While side projects can be rewarding, they may also lead to something that engages your creative energy at work.Search for ways your weekend projects might overlap with your working life!

Start With Side Projects

Creativity extends far beyond what people typically consider the ‘artistic’ field.

You can’t just sit around and wait for a benevolent spirit to arouse your innate spark of creativity. You have to choose to be creative and diligently work towards making it happen.

Approach the world around you with the curiosity of a traveler and that of a child, applying a beginner’s mind to the things you do or see every day: commuting to work, having your lunch, or preparing for a meeting.Be on the lookout for new insights about familiar things; think of it all as a treasure hunt.

Be The Child Who Travels

To identify new areas of interest and ability, experiment with lots of different activities.It is essential that you get a taste of a different field or position before you make a drastic change and commit.Talk to your boss about exploring new responsibilities. In these short–term roles, take note of the moments that you feel energized or at your best.Please note that this is all about trying things out. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t love the first thing you try.

Experiment With Different Activities

Practical exercises, tools and concepts to help you develop and enhance your creative thinking 

books

Books

health

Health

communication

Communication

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

Unlocking your Creative Potential

Finding our creative side is important. Creativity allows us to view and solve problems differently, and the most importantly, it opens the mind and new perspective.

IDEO founder and Stanford d.school creator David Kelley and his brother Tom Kelley, IDEO partner and the author of the bestselling The Art of Innovation, have written a powerful and compelling book on unleashing the creativity that lies within each and every one of us. Too often, companies and individuals assume that creativity and innovation are the domain of the "creative types."  But two of the leading experts in innovation, design, and creativity on the planet show us that each and every  one of us is creative.  In an incredibly entertaining and inspiring narrative that draws on countless stories from their work at IDEO, the Stanford d.school, and with many of the world's top companies, David and Tom Kelley identify the principles and strategies that will allow us to tap into our creative potential in our work lives, and in our personal lives, and allow us to innovate in terms of how we approach and solve problems.  It is a book that will help each of us be more productive and successful in our lives and in our careers.

habits

Habits

strategy

Strategy

creativity

Creativity

Thomas Kelley runs the marketing side of the hugely successful industrial product design firm IDEO. His brother, David, started the company in 1977 in Palo Alto, CA. One of his earliest projects was designing the first mouse for Steve Jobs at Apple Computers.

Tom Kelley

David Kelley, Ph.D., is the founder of The Atlas Society in Washington, DC, which promotes open Objectivism, the philosophy originated by novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand.He is an internationally-known expert in Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. A former college professor of philosophy, he has written and lectured extensively on issues in epistemology, ethics, politics, social issues, and public policy. He has also been a consultant to the film adaptation of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged.

TOM & DAVID KELLEY

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