Top Tips On Training Your Brain To Be Creative
Creativity is one of the most vital aspects of life. Were it not for people’s creativity, we would not have the Internet or smartphones or even the car that we drive to work.
Think about all of life’s necessities that exist because of human innovation and you can see just how important it is that we all encourage and train our minds to be creative. You may never be a world leader in innovation but you may just be able to come up with a great fundraising idea for a charity you support or a fresh marketing strategy for your business.
The great thing about creativity is that you can develop it. Yes, there are people who are more naturally adept at being creative but even if this does not apply to you, there are still strategies which exist that can help you to be more creative in the way that you think.
The most important thing you have to do is be open to the idea. If you tell yourself that you are “not the creative type”, then you are already closing the door on a whole world of opportunity. It’s important that you embrace your creative potential.
Let’s see what you can do to help this happen.
Give routine the elbow
We are not suggesting that you dispose of all routine in your life; most people need some sort of shape to their existence in order to keep all the balls of life in the air. What we do want to encourage is the variance of routine to include new experiences.
Have you had a meal at that new Japanese restaurant? When was the last time you took a walk around the park enjoying the flora and fauna? Why not actually go that meeting about local amenities? It could be interesting to get involved.
If you stick to the same routine all the time, then your brain is not exposed to any new stimuli. It sees the same places and people all the time. This is not an environment which is conducive to creativity.
You do not have to train your brain to think creative thoughts all the time. You just have to give it the benefit of new stimuli. This may sound strange but it’s not. If this is not something that you normally do, then your brain is being opened to a new experience. It’s doing this to your brain which puts it in a position where creative thought comes more naturally.
Share with a wider network
We all have people around us who we happily confide in when it comes to sharing ideas. This is often because we feel comfortable with receiving their feedback. But here is the thing; if you do this all the time, how do you know you are getting the right feedback? A major part of encouraging your brain to be creative is making sure that you get constructive responses to your creativity.
The more people you share your ideas with, the more likely you are to get a full range of feedback which is more useful in developing your ideas going forward. Think about it, your friend or partner is not usually going to be an expert when it comes to commenting on innovative ideas for your business, just like a business colleague may not be the best person to ask about your design for a state of the art treehouse. It’s all about getting a well rounded perspective to help develop your thoughts.
Do not be constrained by rules
One of the most common mistakes that people make, when it comes to creative thinking, is they try to think within the constraints of what they believe to be normal or sensible. If you really want to flex your creative muscles, you should not shut your mind off to any possibility. It really does not matter how absurd your ideas seem to be; you should still let them happen unrestricted. You may even find yourself laughing at the ridiculousness of some of the things you consider; this is actually good for you and for your creative mind.
The fact is, that the more you open your mind to thought, the more creative ideas you will have. Even if you only have one though out of one hundred that actually works out, it’s well worth it.
See Also: One Awesome Tip On How To Shift Perspective
Take notice of your environment
Too many people walk around as though they have blinkers on because they lead such busy lives. This is very restrictive for your brain. If you see something that you have not noticed before such as new flowers in the park or a new building being constructed, take an interest. This could mean that you make a mental note or that you capture an image on your smartphone. If you meet someone new, make a note of it and of what effect the experience had on you.
It’s all about training yourself to be more aware of the world around you and making a note of things that catch your eye or ear. The more “stuff” your brain is exposed to, the more ammunition it gains to help it be creative.
Hopefully, we have helped you to see that anyone can be creative. The most important thing is that you give your brain the best life and training in order to help unleash its creativity.
See Also: Here’s How to Get Creativity Bursting Out of Your Eyeballs
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Author: David Fournier
David Fournier is a business analyst since 2010 and is also involved in the launching of several startups for over 3 years. He has been writing for small to mid-sized businesses, like OZCodes & assisting them with their business needs.
