Creativity: Thinking Outside the Box
Theres a myth associated with creativity. Its supposedly bestowed upon only a chosen few who then go forth to create wonderful, magical things. Its a gift that few people possess. Therefore, Im not creative is a cry often echoed by the rest of us mere mortals as we wander the earth with our limited abilities... urally do to make life more creative and colorful.
Nope. Thats not how it works. Creativity is available to all of us! It comes in many shapes and forms from a creative landscape artist putting together breathtaking gardens to a creative lawyer bending and shaping words to best represent her client. And, unless youve been round-the-clock sleeping, chances are, youve been creative in the past 24 hours as well. I For instance, in the past 24 hours, have you... Doodled in a notebook during a class? Put together at least one outfit?
Creative Questions
Consider using G e org e L oi s these kinds of questions to get your group thinking outside of the box: I
C r e a t i v i t y c an s o l v e a lm os t a n y p rob le m T h e c r e a ti v e a c t t h e de f e a t o f h a b i t by o r i gi n a l i ty o ve r c o m es e ve r y t hi n g
I I I I I
I I I
Helped a friend/family member see a different side to an issue? Made a point or debated a point in class? Told a joke or a story? Exercised by moving your body in different ways? Pieced together a good meal in the cafeteria? Sung in the shower?
So, hey, Walt Disney World called and theyre looking for some new ride and attraction ideas. What would you suggest?
You decide to enter a create a new candy bar contest (or breakfast cereal or laundry detergent or sandwich). What would you use to create your ultimate candy bar? And what would you call it?
I I I I
Come up with a new name for yourself by shifting around the letters of your first name. Now do it with your last name, too. If you were asked to put yourself in the next revision of the dictionary, which existing word entry would you place yourself under?
Created something on your computer?
The list could go on but you probably get the idea. If you answered yes to even one of the above queries, youve employed creativity! Its not just about painting like Picasso or composing like Beethoven. Instead, its also about the little, everyday things we nat-
If you could invent a virtual reality program that would place you in the scene of your choice, what would the scene be and why?
If you could gather three important figures from the past or present in one room, who would you choose and why?
Ways to Use Em
L To warm up your group before a brainstorming session. L Post one per week on your meeting agenda as the discussion question of the week.
L Throw one out over lunch to get some interesting discussion going among your peers!
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Creativity: Thinking Outside the Box continued
I Because of time constraints, you only have a minute to find out one thing about every person you meet. What would you ask each person and why?
C r e a t i vi t y i s l i k e a m us c l e Y o u ei t h er u se i t or lose i t
The government has asked you to come up with a new holiday that will be celebrated by everyone in the country. What day would you choose? Why is that? Say you worked for Nickelodeon or the Sesame Workshop, creating educational programming for kids. What character would you like to create? What would that characters purpose be?
R o g e r vo n O e c h
Pla y w ith W ord s If you need a creative boost, try playing with words. A good pun can make you feel like a creative genius! Or taking someones name and coming up with an adjective for each letter can help you think a bit differently.
Creative Techniques
If you had the opportunity to choose a thought that would go into thousands of fortune cookies, what would it be? Why?
blank wall to clear your mind. Project images of dreams, thoughts, and musings onto this wall to help yourself get back in touch with imaginings beyond the everyday.
Here are a few tricks of the trade for your consideration as you move toward incorporating even more creativity into your life
Bla n k St a re For a moment, just try staring at a
G o Le ft Br ain e d Often times, when were trying to do something creative or right-brained, we may feel stumped. Thats why researchers suggest doing something left-brained for a bit to help stimulate creative thought. For instance, if youre having a tough time thinking of how to creatively begin a paper, do something logical for a while such as balancing your checkbook. The different activity will help you go back to the right-brained task with a fresh perspective.
M a ke C om p ar ison s In his well-known Creative Whack Pack, Roger von Oech invites readers to try all sorts of techniques, including making comparisons. He gives the example of comparing a cat and a refrigerator. Both come in a variety of colors and have a place to put fish! Think about the similarities between two other seemingly dissimilar objects to help you think outside of the box.
C ha n g e Yo u r Filt e r Draw a squiggly line and look at it carefully. What is it? If you say, A squiggly line, your filter needs a change! Instead, think of all the things it could be, such as a piece of Alaskan spaghetti shivering in the cold, a clothesline dancing to a conga beat or a string of dental floss awaiting its next tooth encounter with unbridled glee. Now try this same thing with any other shape you can imagine.
Creativity has to begin with you. Learn to trust and appreciate your innate abilities. Have fun tapping into the creative sides of yourself that are present but just need some urging to come out. Creativity can help you in your leadership position, sure. Yet, leading a creative life can give you even more in the long run possibilities, humor, self-confidence, and an ever-interesting life! So, let yourself out to play regularly, either with others or on your own. Make the Im not creative myth just a figment of your imagination.
PAPERCLIP
Prepared for our institution by PaperClip Communications. Reproduced or retransmitted under license with PaperClip Communications.
COMMUNICATIONS
30
125 Paterson Ave. Little Falls, NJ 07424 973.256.1333 Fax 973.256.8088 www.Paper-Clip.com Copyright 2008
