Developing Your Creativity

Everyone has creative talent, but many lack confidence in their own creativity. “I’m not very creative” is a common lament, even from people who manage their careers well and are extremely successful in bringing value to the businesses where they work. In fact, developing a more efficient approach to your own workload or introducing a time-saving project management system requires considerable creativity. So the term creativity can have a much broader meaning than simply being possessed of artistic talent.Creativity is certainly born- in all of us. Developing this talent depends on finding a channel for its expression. Think of something you enjoy doing, an interest you’ve held for some time but never really explored. Even if it’s been in the back of your mind as a vague idea, if you focus on it and keep at it, your creative talent will begin to blossom. Many people start to draw or paint in this way. It starts as a whim, continues with lots of practice, and ends with some inspiring works. Most important, regardless of the outcome, newly discovered creativity can bring you personal joy and a belief in your own creative powers.Some people love to explore ideas but don’t have the interest or patience to turn ideas into action. But ideas in themselves are valuable. In fact, most research and development begin with ideas. Instead of dismissing these people as dreamers, see if there’s a niche in your organization where their skill can be encouraged and nurtured. Such people can be very valuable members of a product or service innovation group.Even the most logically derived thinking is born of creative impulse, and in today’s business environment, where good ideas are the only way of differentiating yourself from competition, this creative impulse is incredibly valuable. Some Physicists believe that the smallest particle of matter is a thought, that we literally create our own reality. Surely organizations can use this force to generate the kind of innovation that enables them to excel in their industry or market.Preschool children don’t yet comprehend the rules that tell them they can’t do certain things. Try to keep their imagination alive by allowing them to express themselves in their own way. Let them challenge the acceptable, and give them a framework for making their own independent choices. Give them some questions to ask for their rule-breaking activities: could doing this hurt myself or anyone else? What else could I do with this idea? What might happen if I really do this? Giving your children tools for analyzing their actions will help keep them safe and may actually help broaden their patterns of thinking.However, developing creativity requires the same amount of thought and attention as developing any other skill. Although some people do seem to be more innately creative than others, it’s wrong to think that some individuals have it and others don’t. Creativity is a natural form of human expression.Take a look at the world you’ve created around yourself. Your home and workspace are a creative expression of who you are and so are the social networks you have created for yourself. What about the gifts you give to the special people in your life, or the hobbies and the activities you like? Think about your role at work; what have you done differently from others who have held your job? What kind of relationships have you developed with your coworkers? What positive impacts have these had? All these are evidence of your creativity. All any of us needs to do is to recognize that creativity takes many forms, become aware of the process, and work on making it a conscious activity.