When you think of creative people, you tend to think of people who create things such as artists, musicians, dancers, architects, and designers. But entrepreneurs are creative too. They create businesses!
But many entrepreneurs believe that they aren’t creative. The fact is, creativity is not just a special quality that some people are born with. It’s a faculty we all have and use daily. And, the creative mind can be developed!
The way to do that is through practice. The more you regularly do things that flex your creative “muscle”, the more you develop your natural ability to be creative.
Developing your creative “muscles” helps reduce stress and improves your problem-solving ability. To develop and enhance your creativity, begin with these 10 steps:
1) The way we see our surroundings and our environment affects our creativity. Notice and appreciate everything and everyone around you. This (positivity) opens your mind to new possibilities, while helping you build a richer collection of experiences to draw inspiration from.
2) When you approach a problem, remember there are multiple solutions. Look for a variety of solutions instead of going with your first one. This helps build problem solving and creative thinking skills.
3) Use a mind map or flowchart to connect ideas and look for creative answers to any questions you are facing. For the mind map, write down the central topic or word, then link related ideas around the center word. This gives you a visual for seeing ideas and how they are linked. When planning a project or event, flowcharts can be used to track what needs to happen. They can also be used to visualize the final product and the steps needed to get to that finished product.
4) Start keeping a creativity journal. Use it to keep track of your creative endeavors and any ideas you come up with.
5) Develop your creativity by changing your environment. This can be as simple as clearing your desk, painting your walls, or moving your furniture. Or you can try working on your laptop in a different setting, such as a restaurant or park.
6) Fight your fear of failing. If you fear you will make a huge mistake or fail when you try doing something new, it can keep you paralyzed from being creative. Mistakes are always going to happen. The trick is to not give up and to learn from them.
7) Get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Do this on a regular basis to develop your creativity. Changing things and doing things outside your comfort zone boosts creativity. If you aren’t ready to rock climb a mountain cliff, start with something small, such as filling in an adult coloring book.
8) Take time to relax. Sometimes just daydreaming can lead to creative problem-solving while boosting creative thinking. As it wanders, your mind accesses memories and emotions as well as those random bits of knowledge you’ve forgotten. First focus on the area you are wanting inspiration in, then dream away.
9) Every time you make progress using your creativity, you are building your confidence. Reward yourself for your creativity.
10) Start a new hobby or take a class to learn something new, such as baking cakes, making watercolor paintings, photography, pickleball, or gardening.
In Conclusion: Practice is key when it comes to developing your creativity. If you don’t use your creative “muscles” regularly, your creativity weakens, just like your physical muscles. There are many ways to develop creativity. Just find ones that work for you.
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