Are You Harnessing The Power of Your Creative Intelligence ?

How often you would have heard ?- “Think outside the box ”, ?“ Let’s generate more solutions”, “ Can we bring some innovation into this”, or simply “Can you be more creative ”, and yet the very process of actually doing this evades you.

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With the risk of oversimplifying it , all these indicate a process that doesn’t follow the mundane ways of going logically step by step - albeit a ‘sense of knowing’ or ‘Eureka moment’, which most of the time are difficult to attribute to a particular source or thinking pattern. One of the terms being used to define this is ‘Creative Intelligence (CQ)’ ?or ‘Creativity’ – the secret sauce behind groundbreaking ideas, innovative solutions, and sustainable success.

?"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while." Steve Jobs

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Why it should matter to you ?

?Giant figures like Issac Newton, Albert Einstein , Jagadish Chandra Bose , & Nicole Tesla have often attributed their research & innovations to this phenomenon. Companies like Google, Apple, and Tesla have shown how fostering creative intelligence leads to extraordinary breakthroughs. By encouraging creativity at all levels, they have created cultures of continuous innovation.

?Consider some corporate insights that weigh in more on ?this much sought after skill :

• ?According to a study by Adobe, companies that foster creativity enjoy 1.5 times greater market share (Adobe State of Create: 2016).
• ?The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report identifies creativity as one of the top three skills required by 2025.
• ?McKinsey reports that 84% of executives consider innovation important for their growth strategy, with creative intelligence being a key driver (McKinsey Global Innovation Survey).

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Some benefits that are clearly visible with this super-power !

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Innovation: While one may argue that Innovation can be at any level, and not necessarily be something new, Creative Intelligence drives this factor by enabling us to identify opportunities in situations that others perceive as challenges.

?Problem-Solving: While AI is fast catching up to solve problems, it still relies largely on past data, that when problems have been solved with a pattern. Creative Intelligence cuts this barrier by enhancing our problem-solving abilities by opening up untraveled pathways.

?Adaptability: ?One can only adapt when the mind is flexible and willing to venture in new pastures. With Creativity, individuals become used to approaching new situations with fresh perspectives and quickly adjust to strategies when needed.

?Leadership: This one is very obvious. All great leaders are visionaries, and they tap into their creative source to dream big and visualize their goals. This clarity and vision in turn empowers leaders to inspire and motivate their teams..

?Competitive Edge: When you keep doing things the same way as before, they become operational, losing out the edge that one had when the offering was new or had an unparalleled USP. Tapping into your creative power helps foresee challenges, gain insights, and come out with new elements to gain or keep the competitive edge.

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Signs You May Not be Harnessing this !

?The best way to know how you are doing in this area is through self-introspection. Journaling your daily activities and reflecting upon them can help you understand this even better and see some trends or habits. Look out for these easy ones :

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1. Activities without variation : ?Anything that you do repeatedly would be ultimately taken over by either muscle memory or sub-conscious mind. When you do things with some variation, it engages your creative intelligence.
2. ?Singular path towards Problem solving :?Similar to above , this is more towards a pattern of approaching problems- whether old or new , but applying similar method of tackling or solving them.
3. ?Learning taking a back seat:?Look back over the past week, month, and year to reflect on what you have learned. While learning can come by day to day job, dedicating intentional energy to the learning process engages your brain to a different degree.
4. ?Lack of enthusiasm:?Whether it’s your work or chores, do you feel excited or enthused to some degree? If the answer goes more on the negative side of feeling bored or demotivated, it’s a sign that your environment is not supporting you and you need to bring more spark from within.
5. ?Books & Art bore you : You don’t give enough time, or are simply not interested in reading books or engaging in activities that involves art. These activities not only need a lot of patience and focus, they are the seeds for a fertile creative mind.

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Where does your Brain figure in all of this !

By understanding which funcitons of brain can help in the creative process, it becomes easier to place focus on activities that can improve it. Known widely, the prefrontal cortex and default mode network (DMN) play significant roles in creative thinking. The prefrontal cortex is known for its involvement in complex cognitive functions and decision-making processes. On the other hand, the DMN is associated with activities like mind-wandering and imagination, which are essential for creative thought processes.

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Study by Takeuchi et al. (2011) published in the journal ‘NeuroImage’ explored the relationship between individual differences in prefrontal cortex activity and creative performance. The findings suggested that variations in prefrontal cortex function could influence an individual's creative thinking abilities.

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?Big Question : How to Cultivate Creative Intelligence ?

?If you have now seen some signs of not harnessing this power , you have taken the first step of identifying the problem. And the good news is , there are proven ways to tackle it and harness your power.

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Practice Meditation: This tops everything else, as it works directly with the pre-frontal cortex. Meditation can significantly enhance creative thinking by reducing stress and increasing mental clarity. Studies show that mindfulness practices can boost divergent thinking, which is crucial for creativity. ?

??“ Be alone, that is the secret of invention; be alone, that is when ideas are born. - Nicole Tesla"

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Cultivate Creative Hobbies: If you have ever marveled at a kid making things out of clay, or putting thoughts on paper through drawing, or attempting musical instruments or humming along, or just building new structures or cities with Lego, you would intuitively know they are harnessing their creative abilities. They also help in relieving stress, and taking time away from mundane thoughts and activities, leading to your mind opening up to new thoughts.

"Art is the queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world.- Leonardo da Vinci”

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Read Widely: Explore books, articles, and research outside your usual scope to gain new perspectives. Reading or listening to fiction books or stories are also very helpful as they lead to visualization, which becomes fodder for creative ways of problem-solving.

?"The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library." – Albert Einstein

Break Routine: Change your daily habits or environment to spark new ideas. Diversity can push your brain to become open to new perspectives and ideas.

Famous Spiritual Guru Paramhansa Yogananda advised “Try to do one new thing every day ”.

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Physical Activities : ?Engaging in physical activities such as dancing, running, or playing sports can stimulate the brain and enhance cognitive function. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which can improve concentration, memory, and problem-solving skills. Regular exercise has also been linked to increased production of endorphins and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters that can enhance mood and creativity.

?"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. And part of loving what you do is staying physically active and engaged." Steve Jobs

Embrace Curiosity : Curiosity not only leads to learning and deep assimilation when answers are received, but also catapults brain into possibilities why one asks questions on How’s and Why’s. ?

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.- Albert Einstein”

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?In Conclusion

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Creative Intelligence is not just a skill; it’s a mindset. By cultivating CQ through diverse experiences, mindfulness practices, and continuous learning, we can unlock our potential to innovate, lead, and succeed in an ever-evolving world. Let’s commit to nurturing our creative intelligence and see how far it can take us! ??

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How do you harness your creative intelligence? Share your thoughts and experiences below! ??

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#CreativeIntelligence #Innovation #Leadership #ProblemSolving #ContinuousLearning #Adaptability #CQ #BusinessSuccess #ResearchInsights #Meditation #OutsideWork #BrainHealth #PracticalTips #SelfIntrospection

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References:

?Beaty, R. E., Benedek, M., Silvia, P. J., & Schacter, D. L. (2015). Creative cognition and brain network dynamics. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 20(2), 87-95. [Link: doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2015.10.004]

?Takeuchi, H., Taki, Y., Sassa, Y., Hashizume, H., Sekiguchi, A., Fukushima, A., ... & Kawashima, R. (2011). Regional gray matter volume of dopaminergic system associate with creativity: Evidence from voxel-based morphometry. NeuroImage, 51(2), 578-585. [Link: doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.12.063]

Zeidan, F., Johnson, S. K., Diamond, B. J., David, Z., & Goolkasian, P. (2010). Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: Evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and cognition, 19(2), 597-605. [Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2010.03.014]

?Colzato, L. S., Ozturk, A., & Hommel, B. (2012). Meditate to create: the impact of focused-attention and open-monitoring training on convergent and divergent thinking. Frontiers in psychology, 3, 116. [Link: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00116]

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