Creativity is the ability to think of new ideas and concepts and to eventually be able to turn them into a reality. It is a key skill, especially in today’s day and age. Everybody is born with an inherent sense of creativity and imagination. The ability to think up new ideas is something that comes naturally to people. Consider the evolution of civilisation in general. The creation of tools, machines, industries and notions. The fact that children just make up random stories about random things. The entire existence of the entertainment industry. Books, movies, art, poems, so many things to prove it. So why do people often say that they lack a ‘creative’ side? So, how can creativity be encouraged, grown and inculcated in people starting right from when they’re young children?
As socialisation takes place, children learn rational thinking, logic, a general framework of how things should be/ look like, how they function, so on and so forth. Eventually, they stop colouring cats pink, or skies brown. Now this is not me claiming that that is necessarily a bad or negative thing. However, what often comes with it, it the pressure to stick to the status quo, to not step out of the norm, to think too much about what people will say. This often deters people from expressing themselves very openly in the future. My mother, who is a teacher, often talks about how she has observed that young children, in say kindergarten, are full of energy, spontaneity and an outgoing attitude, in comparison to older ones, in say high school. People become scared of being wrong and thus, hesitate a little when responding in class, and eventually, stop colouring cats pink or skies brown. I once read someone write “In the process of rationalizing we teach the child to draw the red apple perfectly, but what about the green ones? or the half eaten one that has taken over the world? or the brown/black one that is rotten?” Obviously, it goes without saying that creativity is not valued at all. People often look to music and dance classes, creative writing classes, art classes, etc.
Varun Grover, a writer, poet and stand-up comedian preaches that to be able to write, for example, one should, first and foremost, read (I’m paraphrasing, of course). That seems to be a point of consensus among successful people, especially those in creative fields. Reading is an important virtue. More so, when trying to enhance creativity. Reading gives a boost to one’s imagination, and equips them with the tools to be able to express said imagination. Writing, even journaling, is said to be a good habit. When people get into the habit of journaling, even the mundane things that happen in their everyday lives, they hone their ability to express their thoughts and ideas. Other tips to enhance creativity are-
1. Collaborating- People learn in abundance when collaborating with other people. One can pick up a lot, simply by observing other people. There is a boost in curiosity and hence the strive to quench it. Additionally, it becomes easier for people to come up with ideas and concepts when working as a team, thinking out loud and bouncing off of each other.
2. Doing things that interest you- They say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. That’s fairly true. To ensure that your creativity doesn’t suffer and/ or fade, so to speak, it is important that you also focus on your hobbies, interests and other things that bring you joy.
3. Take a break- It is also important to occasionally take breaks and unplug. Good ideas often come when you’re giving your mind a rest. In fact, it could even be when you’re sleeping, so many people often suggest keeping a diary or notepad to jot midnight ideas.
4. Exercise- Some basic exercise, even just going on a walk every evening, does wonders in terms of getting the mind running.
5. Using the six thinking hats technique- In this part, you sort of compartmentalize your problems. You allot hats to all aspects of the problem you are faced with. So, the cold, neutral, objective facts are the ‘white hat’, the possibilities of things going wrong and judgement of the situation while being cautious are the ‘black hat’, new ideas and alternatives are the ‘green hat’, intuition and gut feeling are the ‘red hat’, optimism is the ’yellow hat’, planning and organisational skills are the ‘blue hat’. Additionally, the ‘royal hat’ pertains to investment and commitment and the strive to look at your problem in terms of a bigger picture.
6. Asking for feedback, advice and opinions- Asking for feedback, and actually paying attention and working on constructive criticism, while being able to differentiate between constructive criticism and plain negativity is an important trait. One should be able to build upon constructive feedback. This helps enhance the ideas and concepts that people are working upon, and their final product too.
7. Surrounding yourself with a diverse group- While it is important to surround yourself with like minded people, diversity and exposure to people from other backgrounds goes a long way when enhancing someone’s vision.
8. Surrounding yourself with a positive group- It is also important to surround yourself with honest but positive people. This leads to a positive self-image and boost in confidence, bettering a person’s ability to think creatively.
9. Committing yourself to the idea of thinking creatively- think of or work on an idea, any idea, it doesn’t even have to be a good idea, really. Working on something gets the brain going and will eventually pay out in the form of a good idea or great execution of the aforementioned idea.
All in all, creativity, while it comes more naturally and easily to some, is a skill that can be honed and worked upon. It is a virtue that helps people in all fields and spects of their lives, from their work to their social circles and so on.
