"I am not creative"

Imagine a room full of people. You ask a simple question. "How many of you are creative?" Chances one or two will raise their hands. The rest don't believe they are creative!

Interestingly a recent scientific research revealed that most people underestimate their own capabilities. 

Consider the following information about the human brain.

"Our brain:

- is more flexible and multidimensional than any super computer.

- can learn seven facts per second, every second, for the rest of our life and still have plenty of room left to learn more,

- improves with age if we use it properly.

- is unique. Our creative gifts, our finger prints, our expressions, our DNA, our dreams, are unprecedented & unique.

- is capable of making a virtually unlimited number of synaptic connections or potential patterns of thought"

When we refer to 'being creative', it is this ability to make unusual connections that we refer to very often. Let me give an example. 

This is the story of Marsh Fisher, Cofounder of Century 21 Real Estate Corporation in the US. Apparently Fisher, a very successful Real Estate Businessmen enrolled in a programme to learn script writing for Radio.

In one class his assignment was to write a radio script for Jack Benny the comedian. Jack Benny incidentally was also notorious for his stinginess.

Before Marsh Fisher could put pen to paper, two other people came out with a script. This had Jack Benny going to the telegraph office on Solar Eclipse day. And demanding half-rate!

Marsh Fisher was amazed at the speed at which his fellow students came out with an 'idea'. How did they connect Jack Benny, his stinginess, solar eclipse, darkness, night, telegraph & half-rate?

Marsh Fisher went on to invest more than US $ 4 million in understanding associative thinking. And developing an Idea Generation Software called Ideafisher. He has also published a book by the same title.

Another technique called Synectics connects apparently unconnected words to help us generate ideas. This again is a powerful method which is used by many organisations.

So what does it take to be creative? Why are some people more creative than others? These are questions that people often ask.

Here again studies of several creative people have indicated the following qualities:

Curiosity: Undying curiosity about life. Unending quest for learning. I saw this in David Ogilvy. He was like a kid, asking questions about things around us; things that we took for granted

Experimentation: A willingness to test new knowledge through own experience. Willingness to learn from mistakes.

Using the 5 Senses: A keen sense of awareness of all the senses. Using the senses to enliven the experience. Nothing passes by as ordinary. 

Acceptance: A willingness to accept ambiguity in many situations and not pushing for a cut & right, black & white answer. This shows a degree of comfort with things that are new, uncertain and sometimes vague.

Facts & Feelings: Willing to see beyond facts and appreciate feelings & emotions as well. Apply logic and intuition; whole-brain thinking, without bias.

Connections: The ability make unusual connections, and find new expressions. The ability to see the same old thing in a fresh way.

Look for people around you. People who you admire for 'creativity'. Test them out on new crazy ideas. See what they do. Check out famous creative people. Leonardo Da Vinci apparently enunciated these very same principles to help people become creative.

Another thing that affects 'creativity' is the environment around us. Most people will clam up if there are people around, who are known to be critical. No body wants to be censored, ridiculed, criticized or made to feel like an idiot. In such situations people use their energies to survive & protect themselves. 

On the other hand if the environment is encouraging & nurturing, allows for illogical ideas etc, people will be forthcoming and willing to try their hands at 'creativity'.

All that is required is an open mind, willing ears & shut mouth! 

So the next time somebody says 'I am not creative', you know that it is possibly not true. All that it means is that he is underestimating his abilities and his creative gifts have remained unutilized!!