When you say you’re not creative, you inadvertently perpetuate a myth. The myth that a person can be exempt from having creativity doesn’t even make sense. Go ask your mom what you were like when you were a little kid.
Did you ever find an alternate use for your bowl of yogurt—a hat, perhaps?
Did you build something out of Lego or blocks without following directions?
Did you figure out how to evade your parents when you wanted to get away with something?
Have you tried a new topping on your oatmeal?
Have you made up a pun?
Figured out how to fix your computer?
Designed a code?
Come up with an idea different from someone else’s?
These are all hints at the creativity which you do indeed have, and in order to prove this I share with you what I like to call the Creativity Trifecta:
- Everybody is creative.
- Creativity can be practiced and developed.
- People manifest creativity in different degrees.
Let’s take the trifecta point by point.
Everybody is Creative
The first empirical study that definitively showed that everybody is creative was begun by George Land in 1968. He gave 1,600 four- and five-year-old children a creativity test that he had developed to find innovators for engineering and design positions at NASA. He tested the same children again when they were 10 and again at age 15. Land and his team then compared these scores with a large sample of adults who also took the assessment. Take a look at the percentage of test-takers in each sample that scored in the "genius level" for creative imagination.
age 5 98%
age 10 30%
age 15 12%
adults* 2%
*avg. age 31
This insightful study shows that while you may not be exercising your creative genius at the moment, you certainly have the raw materials. The good news is that it can be regained.
Creativity Can Be Taught and Practiced
Scott, Leritz, and Mumford (2004) found that creativity training programs, if well-designed, lead to higher creativity. Earlier, Parnes (1987) used decades of research to prove that creativity can be improved when it is deliberately cultivated.
Conversely, creativity is likely to flounder when it is not nurtured. It can seem to disappear, as in the 98% of 280,000 adults who took Land’s creativity assessment. Ken Robinson’s “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” is the most watched TED talk of all time and goes into detail about the creativity free-fall in education. Diminishing creativity is also experienced in the workplace and in families when the culture does not support divergent thinkers and their new ideas.
People Manifest Creativity in Different Degrees
It just might be that the main reason you think you’re not creative is because you compare yourself to others who are famous for their creativity (Steve Jobs, Pablo Picasso, and Lady Gaga) or to people in your own life who are known for their creativity.
When you’re in a comparison mindset, you inadvertently diminish your own creative ability. You envision Picasso and your highly divergent friends on a pedestal that you cannot possibly ascend. All you can see is yourself standing in the shadows on the lowest rung of your tiny ladder. Creativity looks so far off, so unattainable.
In this mindset, all the negatives creep in. The biggest culprit is fear, especially fear of judgment. It reinforces the false belief that you are not creative. To make matters worse, when you are operating under fear you are using a very small part of your brain’s capacity.
Society has perpetuated the myth that creativity has to be comparative, and if comparative, mutually exclusive: “If Picasso is creative then I am not.” This reasoning is incorrect.
In 1995, researcher Mark Runco started working to clear this up by discussing “personal creativity.” Beghetto and Kaufman talk about the 4C’s of creativity and Ruth Richards has named “everyday creativity.” These theorists all show that all humans, no matter how eminent, use creativity in daily life. An idea or product does not have to be eminent to be creative.
Solution: Practice
One path to progress is to stop comparing yourself to a ridiculous ideal and instead zoom in on you. See what you can do. At its core, all creativity is thinking differently. How can you practice thinking differently?
My book with designer Jane Harvey, Creativity for Everybody (just came out in Spanish!), is a quick-start guide to the basics. If you rotate the book 90 degrees to the right you can read sideways prompts that help you exercise your creative thinking. For example:
“Try thinking like someone else: an alien, a rock, a stray cat, a high school math teacher” (p. 13). This question is simple but can help you look at things another way, to gain a new perspective. Just like any skill, if you practice, you will improve.
If you’ve been in school for several years, creative thinking might feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you’re a high achiever. You have been trained to find the right answer. Divergent answers are not always acceptable. If you find out exactly what the teacher wants and deliver on it, you will likely get an A.
Good for you to figure out and master the system, but there is unfortunately a huge flaw in the way it was set up: life doesn’t work this way. At this moment the world is changing faster than it ever has before. When electricity was introduced in 1873, it took 46 years to be adopted by 25% of the population. When the internet was introduced in 1991, it only took 7 years. This acceleration of adoption forces us to change constantly. In order to change we have to adapt, and this requires creative thinking.
A recent study revealed that 94% of hiring managers say creativity is important to consider when hiring a candidate for a job; CEOs place creativity as the top leadership skill. You need your creativity if you want to thrive in life. But every time you bash it by saying you don’t have it, you lose an opportunity to exercise it.
Solution: Take a Risk
The one-right-answer mentality trains us not to take risks. In order to take risks, you have to be willing to make a mistake. Once in a while a teacher will come along who encourages you to think your own thoughts and here you might freeze.
To open your mouth in a classroom and voice a creative idea you have to take a risk. You’re not used to doing that, because there is usually one right answer. If you are asked to come up with a new answer, an untested answer, you might be judged by your peers or even by your teacher. Maybe your new answer is not the one she wanted either!
But in the working world you must differentiate yourself and you must be able to solve problems creatively. So wherever you are—in school, at work—try taking taking little risks. Author Peter Sims calls these little bets, and advises that we take small risks and fail fast.
In other words, don’t let the first risk you ever take be taking out a second mortgage on your house to try a new business idea. Start instead by doing something that gives you slight discomfort, like driving a new route to the grocery store or sharing an unconventional insight in your next meeting. As you practice taking small risks you will become more comfortable sharing the fresh perspectives that you have gained by practicing your creative thinking.
Now that you are aware of the universal nature of creativity and you have a resource to practice creative thinking, fear is the only thing standing in the way of training it back. (Fear can also come in the form of saying, “I’m not creative” to protect yourself from risk. You now know that this is false, so if you keep using this line it is heretofore a cop-out. Everybody is creative.)
It’s better to build your creative thinking now than after you get fired from your job for not being able to find solutions to the problems that arise. The best way to do this is to start taking little steps to exercise your true creative genius immediately.
References:
Haydon, K. P., & Harvey, J. (2015). Creativity for everybody. New York: Sparkitivity.
Haydon, K. P., & Harvey, J. (2016). Creatividad para todos. New York: Sparkitivity.
Kaufman, J. C., & Beghetto, R.A. (2009). Beyond big and little: The Four C Model of Creativity. Review of General Psychology, 13(1), 1-12.
Land, G., & Jarman, B. (1998).Breakpoint and beyond: Mastering the future today.Kansas City, KS:Leadership 2000 Inc.
Parnes, S. (1987).The creative studies project. In Isaksen, S. (Ed.), Frontiers of creativity research: Beyond the basics (pp. 156-188). Buffalo, NY: Bearly Limited.
Richards, R. (2010). Everyday creativity. In Kaufman, J. C., & Sternberg, R. J. (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of creativity (pp. 189-215). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Richards, R., Kinney, D.K., Benet, M., & Merzel, A.P. (1988). Assessing everyday creativity: Characteristics of the Lifetime Creativity Scales and validation with three large samples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(3), 476-485.
Runco, M. A. (1996). Personal creativity: Definition and developmental issues. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 72, 3-30.
Sims, P. (2013).Little Bets: How breakthrough ideas emerge from small discoveries. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Scott, G. M., Leritz, L. E., & Mumford, M. D. (2004).The effectiveness of creativity training:A meta-analysis. Creativity Research Journal, 16, 361-388.
Originally published at Sparkitivity. Copyright 2016 Sparkitivity, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
FAQs
What is creativity very short answer? ›
creativity, the ability to make or otherwise bring into existence something new, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or form.
Why do people think they are not creative? ›One of the reasons people don't feel creative is because they consider it a big-sum game. They see people like Einstein in the history books, or Steve Jobs in the news, creating innovative ideas that change the world, and they think “I could never do that!”
Can you give example of your creativity? ›There are plenty of examples of creative thinking/doing skills in a work situation, from devising a social media strategy for a new product; to arranging an in-store display for maximum impact; to devising a new way of processing reimbursements; to strengthening the quality of customer service (with proven results).
What is creative in your own words? ›Creativity involves transforming your ideas, imagination, and dreams into reality. When you're being creative, you can see the hidden patterns, make connections between things that aren't normally related, and come up with new ideas.
What is a non creative person called? ›uninventive. Not inventive, nor creative. 3. 1. unoriginal.
Can a non creative person become creative? ›In fact, many psychologists argue that creativity isn't something you're born with; it's actually a skill that can be learned. And, as with any other skill, you can only get better at it with practice.
What creativity is not? ›Creativity is not about prettiness or cuteness. It is messy and often ugly. Creativity involves squeezing together two or more things from different fields that don't seem to belong with one another until something new pops out.
What makes a person creative? ›Originality and imagination (unusual, unique, novel ideas) Elaboration (ability to explain ideas in detail) Flexibility, curiosity, resistance to closure (ability to generate multiple solutions) Complexity (detail and implications of ideas; recognition of patterns, similarities and differences)
How do I become more creative? ›- Draw, paint, doodle, watercolor. ...
- Do something physical. ...
- Embrace boredom. ...
- Watch a TED talk or listen to a podcast. ...
- Generate way more ideas than you think you actually need. ...
- Make time for play. ...
- Journal. ...
- Get outside.
Creative people like to daydream and imagine the possibilities and wonders of the world. They can immerse themselves in imagination and fantasy, yet remain grounded enough to turn their daydreams into reality. They are often described as dreamers, but that doesn't mean that they live with their heads in the clouds.
How do you give creative answers? ›
- Find an appropriate example. Brainstorm to think of examples of times that you came up with creative solutions in the workplace. ...
- Use the STAR method. ...
- Focus on the creative process. ...
- Highlight collaboration and communication.
A good example might be to open meetings with a personal or otherwise novel touch. A leader might go around the meeting and ask for a personal detail as well as a business-related development. In doing so, they send the message that they care about the employee in a broader sense than a purely revenue-related one.
What is an example of creative problem solving? ›Creative challenges should be simple, concise and focus on a single issue. For example: “How might I improve my Chinese language skills and find a job in Shanghai?” is two completely separate challenges. Trying to generate ideas that solve both challenges will be difficult and, as a result, will stifle idea generation.
What are the 5 creative thinking skills? ›Aesthetic thinking, divergent thinking, lateral thinking, convergent thinking, and inspirational thinking are five types of innovative thinking to get the ball rolling. Divergent and convergent thinking are the most common ways to foster more creative thought.
What are the 5 components of creativity? ›Guilford (1959) identified five key elements of creativity: fluency, flexibility, originality, awareness, and drive. Understanding these elements removes some of the mystery surrounding creativity and paves the way for encouraging its growth.
What are the 2 main components of creativity? ›Creativity is sometimes broken up into divergent thinking and convergent thinking; though I argue that essentially the same processes are involved in both. Divergent thinking is measured using the Torrance test of creative thinking (TTCT).
What are creativity skills? ›Creative thinking is the ability to consider something in a new way. Creative thinking includes analysis, open-mindedness, problem-solving, organization, and communication. Many employers value creative thinkers, so consider highlighting your creative thinking skills on your resume and in interviews.
What is creativity in your own opinion? ›Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity is characterised by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to generate solutions.
What are the types of creativity? ›There are 4 types of creativity: deliberate, cognitive; deliberate, emotional; spontaneous, cognitive; and spontaneous, emotional (Dietrich 2004).
What is the opposite of a creative person? ›unimaginative | uninspired |
---|---|
bromidic | reasonable |
realistic | unartistic |
clichéd | usual |
unresourceful | insipid |
How do you say creative without saying creative? ›
- 12 Creative Synonyms (depending on the context)
- imaginative. “Imaginative” is one of the most unambiguous ways to say “creative.” To be “imaginative” means possessing or showing signs of creativity, such as with concepts or ideas. ...
- inventive. ...
- innovative. ...
- ultramodern. ...
- ingenious. ...
- artistic. ...
- prolific.
A creative person can be referred to as an innovator, or a creator of new ideas. Here's a list of synonyms for innovator. Contexts. A person who introduces new methods, ideas or concepts. A person who creates or invents new things or products.
Is every person creative? ›Everyone can be creative, where they realize it or not. A lot of people tend to think creativity is binary: Either you have it, or you don't. But in reality, we do all have it. It's just a matter of how we interpret it.
What are 10 ways to be creative? ›- Step outside. And go for a walk. ...
- Step out of your comfort zone. ...
- Create psychological distance. ...
- Read (widely) ...
- Listen to music. ...
- Write (or draw) ...
- Make a healthy snack. ...
- Break your routine.
- Step 1: Formulate a specific problem statement. ...
- Step 2: Gather random stimuli. ...
- Step 3: Create associations between random words, your challenge. ...
- Step 4: Increase your associations. ...
- Step 5: Make more connections.
Creativity is a skill that can be learned, refined, and improved. It's not something you either have or don't have – it's like any other skill in life: The more you practice it, the better you get at it. The key to creativity is figuring out what works for you- finding your own process and then mastering it.
How is art not creative? ›1. Art is not always creative. Many people interchange phrases like, “I can't draw,” and, “I'm not creative.” You do not have to be creative to be able to draw, and just because you can draw, it does not mean you are creative. The arts are well suited for creative discoveries and problem-solving.
Why is creativity so important? ›Creativity allows us to view and solve problems more openly and with innovation. Creativity opens the mind. A society that has lost touch with its creative side is an imprisoned society, in that generations of people may be closed minded. It broadens our perspectives and can help us overcome prejudices.
Are creative people smart? ›Studies have shown that highly creative people are highly intelligent but highly intelligent people are not always creative. The fact that highly creative people have a higher correlation with intelligence than vice versa suggests creativity is simply a higher form of intelligence.
How do creative thinkers think? ›Creative thinking is a skill which lets you consider things from a fresh perspective and different angles. It's an inventive thought process which results in surprising conclusions and new ways of doing things. Creative thinking can be aided by brainstorming or lateral thinking to generate ideas.
What helps creativity flow? ›
- Take a walk. Get outside and change the scenery. ...
- Keep a journal. Sure, you may think that simply having things in your mind is good enough. ...
- Do something different. If you stay in the same rut day after day, you may find that you have a difficult time thinking creatively. ...
- Take a media break. ...
- Clean your office.
Do You Consider Yourself A Creative Person | Job Majestic - YouTube
Why are some people more creative than others? ›Scientists have found that people with stronger connections come up with better ideas. In general, the brain regions associated with creativity belong to three specific brain systems: the default, salience and executive networks.
What are some examples of creative thinking? ›Some of the best examples of creative thinking skills may include: lateral-thinking, visual reading, out-of-the-box thinking, copywriting, artistic creativity, problem-solving, analytical mind, and divergent thinking. Here are the best creative thinking techniques you can use.
Is creativity a result of hard work? ›A lot of good creativity comes from collaboration. Creativity takes a lot of time and hard work.” Sawyer thinks much of the difference between highly creative people and the rest of us is hard work and work habits. “Creative people work hard but they also work smart,” Sawyer adds.
What is your greatest weakness sample answer? ›Here's an example. My greatest weakness is that sometimes, I just have a hard time letting go of a project. I'm the biggest critic of my own work, and I can always find something that needs to be improved or changed.
How do you show creativity at work? ›Examples of workplace creativity include: asking junior employees for their help to resolve a management-level problem. remembering details about customers, such as their names or birthday, to make a service seem more personal. making a product or service seem more relatable to customers through targeted marketing.
What means creative thinking? ›ACER defines creative thinking as: the capacity to generate many different kinds of ideas, manipulate ideas in unusual ways and make unconventional connections in order to outline novel possibilities that have the potential to elegantly meet a given purpose.
What is creative problem-solving skills? ›Creative problem solving (CPS) is a way of using your creativity to develop new ideas and solutions to problems. The process is based on separating divergent and convergent thinking styles, so that you can focus your mind on creating at the first stage, and then evaluating at the second stage.
How do you use creativity in your everyday life? ›- Make your immediate surroundings as beautiful or eccentric as you can. ...
- Go somewhere new-as close as a restaurant you've never tried or as far as China. ...
- Spend 10 minutes a day dreaming out the window.
- Don't censor yourself.
- Do something new or something old in a brand new way.
What are the five steps in creative problem-solving? ›
The creative process involves critical thinking and problem-solving skills. From songwriters to television producers, creative individuals generally go through five steps to bring their ideas to fruition—preparation, incubation, illumination, evaluation, and verification.
What is true creativity? ›A creative person realizes that true creativity involves combining both fun and hard work. An artistic or creative person may come across as carefree, however they can also be incredibly hardworking and driven when it comes to pursuing their passion.
What is creativity and example? ›The definition of creativity is the ability to come up with new and exciting ideas. When Apple Computer comes up with a brand new product such as the iPod that no one has ever thought of before, this is an example of creativity. When a painter creates a beautiful work of art, this is an example of creativity.
What is creativity PDF? ›Focusing on the individual person, creativity is defined as an aspect of thinking, as a personality constellation, and as an interaction in a specific environment between thinking, personal properties, motivation, and feelings.
What do you think is creativity? ›Creativity is the ability to think about a task or a problem in a new or different way, or the ability to use the imagination to generate new ideas. Creativity enables you to solve complex problems or find interesting ways to approach tasks. If you are creative, you look at things from a unique perspective.
How do you know if you're not creative? ›When your actions are conditioned by the expectations of others and come from a desire to fit in, then you are not being creative. You're being manipulated by other people. But when you are able to stand up for yourself in an authentic way, you are probably acting in a way that is unique and true to yourself.
What makes a person creative? ›Originality and imagination (unusual, unique, novel ideas) Elaboration (ability to explain ideas in detail) Flexibility, curiosity, resistance to closure (ability to generate multiple solutions) Complexity (detail and implications of ideas; recognition of patterns, similarities and differences)
What are the 5 traits of a creative person? ›- They are risk takers. Creative thinkers are risk takers. ...
- They have the dare to fail attitude. ...
- They are willing to be different. ...
- They are impulsive, fickle and change their mind quite often.
- Find an appropriate example. Brainstorm to think of examples of times that you came up with creative solutions in the workplace. ...
- Use the STAR method. ...
- Focus on the creative process. ...
- Highlight collaboration and communication.
- 12 Creative Synonyms (depending on the context)
- imaginative. “Imaginative” is one of the most unambiguous ways to say “creative.” To be “imaginative” means possessing or showing signs of creativity, such as with concepts or ideas. ...
- inventive. ...
- innovative. ...
- ultramodern. ...
- ingenious. ...
- artistic. ...
- prolific.
What are some examples of creativity at work? ›
A good example might be to open meetings with a personal or otherwise novel touch. A leader might go around the meeting and ask for a personal detail as well as a business-related development. In doing so, they send the message that they care about the employee in a broader sense than a purely revenue-related one.
What is a symbol for creativity? ›Lightbulb. One of the most recognizable symbols of creativity, the lightbulb represents originality and new ideas.
What are the types of creativity? ›There are 4 types of creativity: deliberate, cognitive; deliberate, emotional; spontaneous, cognitive; and spontaneous, emotional (Dietrich 2004).
Why is being creative important? ›Creativity allows us to view and solve problems more openly and with innovation. Creativity opens the mind. A society that has lost touch with its creative side is an imprisoned society, in that generations of people may be closed minded. It broadens our perspectives and can help us overcome prejudices.
Is creativity a skill or talent? ›Lynda Weinman, founder of Lynda.com: Creativity is a soft skill. Other soft skills include critical thinking, collaboration, and negotiation. It is a skill because it can be learned. It can also be sucked dry out of people when there is too much emphasis on rote learning and standardization.
What is creativity in soft skills? ›Creativity is one of the soft skills and is supposed to help develop innovative solutions to problems. It requires an openness to innovation and mental flexibility. In many sectors, creativity techniques are seen as a means to an end and are designed to achieve better results.
What is an example of creative problem solving? ›Creative challenges should be simple, concise and focus on a single issue. For example: “How might I improve my Chinese language skills and find a job in Shanghai?” is two completely separate challenges. Trying to generate ideas that solve both challenges will be difficult and, as a result, will stifle idea generation.