New year, new mindset!
Did you know that you can cultivate a creative mindset? and that creativity could be exercised and explored in different ways? Most people think about creativity as a quality that only artists can enjoy, and most of us grew up believing that creativity is a ‘skill’ that we either have inherently or do not…but in reality, there are just some who work on developing their creative self, and others who push it aside for many different reasons.
Because we are aware that new practice and change are not easy, we encourage you to try these approaches within processes, practices, or places where you already feel comfortable. For example, if you are great at delivering presentations, try applying one of the following creative qualities during your next presentation.
Our first invitation is to change that mindset, and if you are ready to open yourself to creative thinking (which comes in many different ways, not only drawing). Creativity is not only expressed or experienced through drawing but also through music, dance, photography, doodles or even looking at challenges in a different way. We are going to share with you five practices and steps you can take to develop your creative self, being creative helps you be a better problem solver… So, are you ready to give these a try?
Here are some (not all) of the qualities to work on developing if you want to work on your creative “muscles”:
1. Curiosity & Playfulness
Create times to explore, experiment, and moments of relaxation and silence to be able to listen to our ideas. Never accept things for face value! Explore different ways to approach the same task, look for different perspectives and look for fun and engaging methods to do even the most simple day to day tasks.
2. Be Open to Experimentation
Surround yourself with other creative people who inspire you, with people who make you feel safe to try new things. Try new things as often as possible, develop new skills and knowledge; the more you expose yourself to things, the more ideas you will get. Ideas come from a combination of past experiences or experiments, and new ideas.
Experimenting does not have to be taking huge risks, we can try experimenting by adding a new “let’s think outside the box exercise at the beginning of a meeting”, or by skipping the presentation method and moving to a collaborative platform for one team session.
3. Be Open-Minded
Changing things up is not easy, and sometimes the automatic answer of “that is not going to work” does not allow us to try things that might bring amazing results.
To be creative we have to be open to perceive things outside our frames of reference. To create we need to be able to appreciate the duality within things, what they are and what they could be, which opens us up to imagining and creating. Being open-minded allows us to perceive the world as spontaneous, limitless, creative, and abundant in energy and ideas.
4. Work with Diverse teams and People who Empower You
With your creativity, this can be key to empower yourself by being able to visually communicate your thoughts and feelings. Because as the saying goes, “a picture is worth a 1,000 words!” Ultimately, use visuals to convey messages and make an impact on other people’s lives.
It is important to work with people who have different perspectives, different expertise, and different approaches from yours. Being challenged is not easy, but when handled well brings the best conversations and amazing results. Consider collaborations with other creative individuals as well, by working with others you can support and inspire each other through the process.
5. Practice Iterations & Enjoy the Process
Creative projects do not happen in the blink of an eye. The process is key and being open to try again and again might be the difference between just making it and a breakthrough. Putting projects aside and going over them again is a great practice to refine your ideas and maybe see them from a different perspective.
Visual notes are a great way to exercise and practice these 5 qualities to cultivate a creative mindset, if you want to get started, Download our Free Visual Guide!
Which one do you need to develop the most? (let us know to give you some ideas of practical exercises/games) & which other qualities would you add?
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