The Creative Lifestyle

In December 2021, I volunteered to lead a small team to build out Webcor’s Management Essentials program. The 10-module course includes topics such as Mindset, Diversity and Inclusion, Difficult Conversations, Critical Thinking, Performance Management, and more. Each person owned two to three modules and we stayed close in sharing ideas and asking for feedback.?

When designing training content, it’s important to include interactions such as facilitated discussions, exercises, multimedia, group activities, games, and more. Since developing a large course takes months, cultivating a mindset and adopting habits that foster creativity are essential. Creative ideas rarely happen by accident, as the old saying goes, “Work creates luck.” If we choose to live a creative lifestyle (work), the quantity and quality of our ideas will increase (luck).?

While working on the Critical Thinking module I hit a crossroads. I had relevant content such as a usable five-point model from “identify a problem” to “act,” solid root cause analysis information including the “five whys,” and good tools such as Mind Maps and SWOT analysis. What I was missing was an interaction to tie it all together. So, I began talking to different people inside and outside the organization. I spoke with field people, I spoke with other training professionals, I spoke to family and friends. Everyone was happy to talk to me and had promising ideas. Nothing clicked, so I put this module away and started working on another.?

Driving to work a few weeks later, after talking to a Project Director about a challenge they were having with a flooring sub, I had a flash; I could turn their dilemma into a critical thinking game. The game worked well, and the feedback is positive. We divide the group into teams and outline the dilemma. They get time to create a list of everyone and/or every entity they want to talk to. Then we hand them Player cards with specific information related to the people and/or entities that they chose. The teams produce a plan to mitigate the risk or maximize the opportunity based on the information they were able to gather. We debrief as a group and then share the actual mitigation plan the project team used.?

Before I offer up six behaviors you can use to live a creative lifestyle, let me tell you a little bit about me. As someone who loves production, whose hobbies include making videos and recording music, I spend time in my home studio (love my Neumann mic). As an avid hiker and beachgoer, I spend time on the Southern California trails and beaches (County Line is my favorite). As a learning professional, I read articles and books (currently reading “Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader,” by Ibarra).?

Here are six behaviors you can implement to improve your creativity:?

Embrace curiosity: Stay curious about the world around you. Ask questions, explore new topics, and challenge your assumptions. Curiosity opens your mind to new ideas and possibilities.?I spent time asking people around me about critical thinking.?

Engage in creative activities: Pursue creative hobbies such as painting, writing, cooking, photography, or music. Engaging in these activities regularly can help spark novel ideas and encourage innovative thinking.?I spend my free time writing songs and creating videos.

Mindfulness and meditation: Practice mindfulness and meditation to clear your mind, reduce stress, and improve focus. A calm and focused mind can be more receptive to creative insights.?I hike and go to the beach.?

Read and consume different media: Read books, articles, watch documentaries, listen to podcasts, and explore various forms of media. Exposure to different ideas and narratives can stimulate your imagination. I’m currently reading books and articles.?

Keep a journal: Maintain a journal to jot down your thoughts, ideas, and observations. Great storytellers are great collectors, as they document stories as they happen in their life, in real-time. Reviewing your journal can help you identify patterns and connections between unrelated concepts.?This article is a form of journaling.?

Collaborate with others:?Collaborate with individuals or teams on creative projects. Sharing ideas and receiving feedback can lead to fresh insights and innovative solutions.?Leading a small team for this build was helpful. We bounced ideas off each other all the time.?

Embrace boredom:?Don’t feel the need to plan every second of your workday with activities. Room to breathe applies to your thoughts. In the void or while performing a mundane task is where the magic happens. Be okay with doing nothing. Staring into space, throwing a ball against a wall, or driving without streaming, is necessary time for your brain to mull, make connections, and deliver great ideas.?The critical thinking game idea came to me while driving.?

Novel ideas come more readily to those who consistently behave in ways that nurture brain elasticity. Creativity is a lifestyle, and while there is no one-size-fits-all approach, there are specific behaviors you can start doing to improve the quantity and quality of your ideas. I’m convinced that my lifestyle enabled me to dream up the critical thinking game. Experiment with different strategies and find what works best for you. Be patient with yourself and trust in your ability to develop and enhance creative abilities over time.