What are common creativity myths that hold you back?

Lots of people have a difficult relationship with creativity. It's easy to look at the creative genius types who operate on intuition alone and think, "I'm not creative". But the reality is that creativity is a skill, just like any other. It also comes in many shapes and sizes. Just because you can't paint or make music, that doesn't mean you can learn how to solve problems creatively. So many people have the potential to be creative but have either never had the opportunity or allowed themselves to take the risks they need to. The problem is that creativity involves uncertainty, and most people hate uncertainty. If you can crack that first, then more creative ideas are just one of many benefits that will follow.

Myth - Creativity is a gift bestowed on a select few. In reality, creativity is a muscle, not a magical endowment. Like an athlete, you train and develop it. The more you exercise your imagination, the stronger it becomes. Break free from this myth; everyone has the potential to nurture and unleash their creativity.

La creatividad no es un don. Es fruto del esfuerzo. Del aprendizaje De la experiencia. Es querer ir, y seguir levantándote cada vez que te caigas. Con la suficiente formación, información y metas, todos podemos ser creativos

Creativity is definitely a skill that you get to work on over time. When we are young they keep telling us that 'you're talented in this or that'. Really it's not about talent at all, it's about persistence and practice to hone your skill in creativity that will get you results!

Creativity is a journey and differs for every individual. A simple thing as a fingerprint is so common and yet unique to each. It's not a fixed formulae. It's the exploration, the risk, the high, the fall and finally the experience and outcome.

Most creative spontaneity or what looks like a lightbulb moment, is nothing of the sort. That kind of creativity comes from research and application as much as inspiration. What most people don't want to hear is that creativity can be quite a boring and rigorous process and involves taking in and exploring a lot of external input and looking for patterns and information that can inform your creative idea. The most divergent creative thinkers (those who just seem to pluck ideas from thin air) do this kind of processing intuitively, but for everyone else, you can achieve the same by putting in the hard work and turning creativity into an intentional process. Learning and iterating as you go.

Creativity stems from the sum of your experiences. The people you meet, the things you see, read, observe, smell, and absorb all manifest at a later date to provide that spontaneous 'light bulb' moment. So always be open to new experiences and learning.

Most creativity comes from combining disparate thoughts or ideas: chocolate and peanut butter for example make a whole new thing. To turn on creativity 1) take in a lot of content on different subjects 2) go for a walk in silence and let your thoughts roam (about 20 min in the good stuff starts popping into your mind) 3) get in water - pool, shower, bathtub, river, ocean - in silence (keep a notebook nearby). These 3 tips never fail for me.

While creativity absolutely can benefit from active cultivation, we shouldn't dismiss moments of sudden creative insight either. Spontaneous sparks sometimes do strike when we least expect it, like when relaxing or engaging in unrelated activities. Being open and receptive to those fleeting bursts of inspiration when they arise is valuable. I don't believe that we can totally 'force creativity' on demand. Letting our minds wander or make unexpected connections is important too - BUT these moments of spontaneous creativity are sometimes the result of countless exposures to inspiration.

If you want to spark creativity step away, take a walk, take a break and you will find this charges your creative thinking. Trying too hard can block your creativity and when you disengage you often find your flow!

Certainly! Thinking creativity is a solo effort limits your potential. Actually, creativity thrives when we collaborate with people of different skills and perspectives. Seeking feedback from mentors, peers, or customers is a great way to enhance your creative work. Embrace teamwork for more impactful results.

Some of my most creative moments have come from discussing a challenge or idea sign others. Their questions, challenge, enthusiasm and energy seems to charge the creative juices.

Creativity can emanate from a single individual, of course. But it is often a team game; think of theatre or music where individual impulses/actions of many generate the experience. But all teams have this capacity, in any field of endeavor. The interesting bit is the give and take that takes place between participants to get to the goal. What guidance can we give to ensure everyone works together to achieve the best outcome? Here are my thoughts. I would love to hear from others 1. There is no bad or wrong idea 2. Everyone has a role to play but those roles can be different 3. Allow leadership to flow amongst the group according to skill and ability 4. Treasure the nay-sayer; overcome their objections and you'll be onto a winner!

We all know of instances where group endorsed our ideas and confidently took them ahead and also the situations where too many cooks spoiled the broth. Good things happen when we work as team..... and so can chaos. So it is the occasion and need that defines if it will be a solo act or a group act. You cant define it.

Creativity is individual, I disagree. I fully believe that you need help in everything you do, but if you want to be creative you may find you're copying others' ideas. Don't lose individuality but also don't isolate, find a balance

Creativity isn't about being flawless. It's a messy process of trial and error. Don't fear mistakes; see them as opportunities to learn. Celebrate the effort, not just the outcome. It's all part of the creative journey.

Nothing is 100% flawless or perfect. Even "6 Sigma" accuracy is 99.999997%. And if it is about non-material things like stories or processes, people have views. Why bother to measure.. enjoy the journey.

Creativity is inherently flawed. One argument that can be made is that there are no new ideas, everything now is just a remix. Another is that by you creating you are biasing the flawless of the idea. Either way, create and ship, it is the only way to learn

Embrace boredom. We are the most creative when we lack resources and time or have abundant of them. Creativity is just connecting things.

When I trained as a physicist I was taught to approach problems and question sets in a very regimented way. It was only during my PhD and postdoc I realised the real world doesn't do "standard". I slowly learnt to embrace my creativity, use it and am now flourishing working with it as a strength. Now it is my businesses biggest asset. Don't always conform to the labels your training might have placed on you!

I love the story of how Pixar, some say masters of creativity, intentionally designed their office space and team routines to spark creativity. Rather than waiting for random inspiration to strike, they proactively optimised their environment to boost collaborative ideation. For instance, they ensured gathering spaces were located centrally so impromptu conversations could occur. Divergent thinking was encouraged through "wild brainstorms" with no judgement. As team leader Ed Catmull said: “A hallmark of a healthy creative culture is that its people feel free to share ideas, opinions, and criticisms.” Pixar demonstrates that by making creativity a disciplined team sport rather than a solo stroke of luck. real creativity can blossom!

Another myth is that creativity is limited. In fact, you can train your brain to be creative - whether that's by surrounding yourself by new things, talking to new people about your ideas, embracing new style, environments and ideas.