How to

Become
a Creative
Thinker
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1. Dig Wide
Logic means digging in the most probable place until you find
what you’re looking for. Creativity means digging in random places,
accepting that you’ll know what you’re looking for only when you find it.

LO GIC CRE AT I V I T Y
 03

2. Quantity = Quality
Creativity lives beyond the first few bad ideas. Set a quota
(e.g., 20 headlines) and keep going ‘till you meet it.

1 BA D I D E A 11 BAD ID EA
2 BA D I D E A 12 BAD ID EA
3 BA D I D E A 13 BAD ID EA
4 BA D I D E A 14 BAD ID EA
5 BA D I D E A 15 BAD ID EA
6 BA D I D E A 16 BAD ID EA
7 BA D I D E A 17 GOOD ID EA
8 BA D I D E A 18 BAD ID EA
9 BA D I D E A 19 BAD ID EA
10 BA D I D E A 20 BAD ID EA
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3. Cultivate Creativity
Creativity is a skill. Practice daily, and you'll improve. 
Here's how you can practice on the go:

1 . CAP T IO N PICTU RE S 2. REIMAGINE T H INGS

Come up with funny captions Think of new designs and

for images you see around. uses for everyday objects.

It’s a man What If beach umbrellas

feeding a baby-whale. had solar panels on top?
 05

4. Think Laterally
Vertical thinking will lead you to obvious results. Instead, open any
book, pick a random word, and try to connect it with your problem.
Magic will happen.

L ATE RAL THINKING

Problem Random input Creative solution

VERTICAL T HIN KIN G

Facts

Solution
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5. Avoid Crazytivity
Creativity must have value. Don't do something differently only
for the sake of being different.
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6. Yes! And… vs. Yes, but…

Never reject your partner’s ideas immediately. Instead, develop them.
The dumbest ideas often lead to a breakthrough. Also, people will
share more ideas with you if they know you won't judge them.
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7. Think Now.
Search Later.
Google shows almost the same results to everyone.
So before googling, brainstorm by yourself, or you’ll
end up doing the same as everyone else.

How to think for myself?

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8. Control Your Ego

We often cling to a bad idea because we’re defending our self-esteem,
not the idea. Wear different thinking hats to evaluate ideas objectively. 

WHITE HAT RED H AT B LAC K H AT

Facts: Speak about Feelings: Speak Cautions: Speak about
information and data. about your intuition. what can go wrong.

G R E E N HAT Y E L L O W H AT B LUE H AT
Creativity: Speak about Benefits: Speak about Process: Speak about the
new solutions and ideas. the pros. Be optimistic. next steps. Be practical.
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9. Fix What Ain't Broken

Even if something is good, it doesn't mean it can't get better.
Identify the most dominant ideas in your field, and challenge them.

“A phone must have a keyboard”

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10. Use Fractionation

Break down your problem into components and try to solve each
part separately or rearrange it differently.

P R O BLE M: TA XIS A R E S K ETCH Y

F R ACTIO NATE R EAR R ANG E & SO LV E

Find a cab Discover the price

See the driver See the driver

Ride Cab finds you

Discover the price Ride

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11. Make Mistakes

Schools reward those who are never wrong. 
The real world rewards those who dare to be wrong. 

S C H OOL LIFE

Learn
Brainstorm Fail Learn

Succeed Brainstorm again

Answer
Succeed correctly
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12. Think Visually

Language is the biggest barrier to creative progress. Old perceptions
are frozen into words, making us see things in an old-fashioned way.

VER BAL T HI N K I N G VISUAL TH INK ING

“It’s a strand of spaghetti. “It’s a thin and hollow stick.

Spaghetti is food. I’ll eat it.” I can use it as an eco-friendly straw.”
Bonus: Read
TheCreativeMarketer.net
It’s a is a massive collection of free techniques and tools
for copywriters, marketers, and other creative creatures.

@Shlomo.Genchin

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