When we deal with creativity blocks on this show, we’ve generally talked about procrastination because that’s an area where many people struggle. In this episode, I want to talk about another important way we block ourselves: Not being willing to put down the wrong tool. Relying on the wrong thinking strategy to solve a problem
Ideas don’t pop into our heads fully formed and ready to launch. The process from initial idea to a finished product worthy of other people’s attention can be a long one. Each idea develops over time. Your very first attempt at a creative idea will likely only capture the general feeling of what you’re after.
Ideas are like stupid children, you need to give them a chance to grow up before you’d actually want to be seen in public with them. Of course, I’m not a father, so perhaps I’m wrong. Incubation is about giving your ideas time to mature. When you incubate a problem, you’re allowing your subconscious mind
One of the most fascinating aspects of the creative personality is how often creative people have contradictory personality traits. Creative problem solving is incredibly difficult. There are so many moving pieces that it’s hard to know what to even try. This is why so much advice centers on shifting your perspective. Look at the problem
Kaizen is the philosophy of continual improvement. Its premise is that small changes over a long period of time can really add up. Kaizen has been central to my personal and profession al life for over 10 years now. It’s so important to me that I have the Japanese symbol for kaizen tattooed on my
Creative problems are rarely well defined. Whether you’re an artist, a scientist, or an entrepreneur, when you’re creating something new, you have to deal with a lot of ambiguous problems. Nowhere is this easier to see than in entrepreneurship. When sales go down, you have to figure out why. Is something wrong with the product?
Why Do Questions Enhance Creativity? Why are questions so important to the creative process?