Unlocking Your Creative Genius Potential

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Introduction

Creativity is the hidden capacity to think about ourselves, others, objects, events and circumstances in original and unique ways. Moreover, creativity allows us to overcome great odds, problems and challenges that maybe standing in the way of the success we desire to attain in life. Yes, creativity is indeed a powerful and yet somewhat mystical ability that brings with it a vast array of opportunities and skills that enhance and better our lives. With it, we can move mountains, part oceans and attain the heights of success. On the other hand, without it the challenges of life become more difficult and arduous to bear.

The discussion today will focus on identifying, growing and heightening creativity in order to allow us to further our success in any field of endeavor. The first branch of the IQ Matrix will break down our capacity as creative individuals. We will essentially expand on the concept of creativity and analyze the effect it has on a variety of different – and seemingly disconnected – aspects of our lives. We will also focus our discussion upon the evolution of creativity through childhood, including the process of identifying a creative thought.

The second branch of the IQ Matrix will delve into the mind of a Creative Genius. We will take a look at the indispensable characteristics, belief systems, self-talk and the actions that creative people cultivate on a daily basis.

The third branch of the IQ Matrix will analyze a collection of common Creativity Roadblocks that can sabotage our thought process without a moments notice. We will specifically look at external and internal roadblocks that undermine the creativity process.

Finally, the forth branch of the IQ Matrix will break down some creativity enhancing strategies that will help promote and stimulate creative thought for academic, business, career and life success.

This article post is part of an Effective Thinking Series of IQ Matrix Mind Maps that are designed to help you successfully deal with the problems and challenges confronting your daily life reality. Topics within this series include:

• Part 1: Strategic Life Questioning Tactics
• Part 2: Unlocking Your Creative Genius Potential
• Part 3: Awaken Your Problem Solver from Within
• Part 4: Becoming an Outstanding Critical Thinker
• Part 5: 6 Thinking Hats: Solving Life’s Complex Problems

Unlocking Your Creative Genius Capacity

Our creative ability is very difficult to measure because it can manifest in so many surprising and unexpected ways. As we go about our daily lives, our creativity comes to the forefront to assist us to overcome the problems and challenges that bring excitement and new experiences into our lives. Every time we successfully break through these obstacles we grow and expand our awareness about ourselves, others, circumstances and the world around us. Within this branch of the IQ Matrix we will delve into the dramatic influence that our creative capacity has on our quality of life and daily undertakings. We will also touch upon the evolution of creativity and how it grows and develops through childhood and eventually begins to decline as we grow older, and supposedly wiser. Finally we will quickly touch upon the concept of creative inspiration, and pinpoint some methods that will help you to identify your bursts of creativity.

Our Creative Capacity has a Wide Circle of Influence

In a lot of ways, I feel that we as a society underestimate the value and influence that our creative capacity has on a variety of different aspects of our lives. Our creative capacity is in fact so far reaching that you could effectively come to the conclusion that the quality of our lives is basically determined by the quality of our creative thinking. Let’s now look into this in a little more detail:

Determines Academic Success

Your creative capacity effectively determines your academic success, ability, effectiveness, efficiency and your flexibility of thought. There is no doubt that at school our Logical Intelligence is looked upon with high regard. The better capacity you have to remember key concepts, ideas and make sense of the information you are learning, the better marks you will achieve. However, in the classroom, creativity is in fact as important if not more important than your intellectual capacity. Your intellect might help you to understand key concepts and ideas, however it is your creative capacity that will help you to think in unorthodox ways, – somewhat outside the box – helping you to learn more efficiently, effectively and flexibly at the same time. Intellectuals are somewhat like computer programs that are fed information and data. On the other hand, creative individuals shift, change, expand, and alter this data in ways that will help them to improve their effectiveness and efficiency of learning. To put it another way, an intellectual will follow the instructions of the book to the letter without wavering or making a mistake. However, a creative individual will come up with brilliant ideas and methods that will help them to improve their speed of learning, reading, comprehension and proficiency.

Determines Career Advancement

Your creative capacity effectively determines how quickly you will advance your way up the career ladder. Almost anyone with a passion for a specific niche area, can learn and develop the skills to become proficient and reliable. Companies like to hire these types of people because they have a good sound knowledge base and understanding of their work responsibilities. However, in order to advance up the career ladder it takes a little more than a solid base of knowledge and experience. It actually requires the creative capacity to think outside the box about methods, tactics and strategies that will improve efficiency, effectiveness, grow profits, and enhance customer loyalty. It essentially doesn’t matter where you are currently positioned within your company. If you develop enough creative momentum you can climb up the corporate ladder in very quick succession with only a few groundbreaking creative ideas.

Determines Quality of Life

Your creative capacity effectively determines the quality of your life. First of all, the success you experience within any segment of your life is based upon the flexibility of thought you utilize to overcome daily life challenges. Secondly, your happiness is a direct reflection of the fulfillment and satisfaction you obtain from attaining your life’s goals and ambitions. So effectively, our success, happiness, fulfillment and living out our true full potential as human beings, builds the groundwork and foundation for the quality of our lives.

Determines Quality of Thinking & Idea Generation

Your creative capacity effectively determines the quality and process of your thinking. Our whole lives are build upon the foundations of idea generation. The more creative we are in coming up with clever ideas that will help us get what we want most in life, the better off we will be. The greater the creative capacity we cultivate and grow within ourselves, the better the ability we will have to expand our understanding and awareness about everything that life throws our way.

Determines What we have Access to

Your creative capacity effectively determines your access to information, opportunities and resources. As we expand our minds and begin thinking outside the box, we start to understand and comprehend things from unique angles and perspectives; that we probably never considered before. As a result, this naturally brings forth into our field of awareness new pieces of information, unexpected realizations and opportunities that were previously hidden from our sensory experience.

Determines Our Intrinsic Ability

Your creative capacity effectively determines your intrinsic ability to learn and effectively overcome problems that confront your daily reality. Because of our “web-like” interacting society, it is easy to understand that people will not always agree, that things will not always go as planned, and that unexpected surprises may be lying behind every corner. Given this, we must learn to adapt and adjust our daily tactics and methods of behavior in ways that will get us what we want despite the challenges and obstacles in our wake. This essentially requires a period of learning and adjustment that can only come through our creative thinking process and capacity. Hence, the more creative we are while tackling our daily life problems and obstacles, the faster we will learn and master the challenges that life throws our way,

Evolution of Creativity through Childhood

Science has shown that we are all indeed born with the capacity to think creatively about the events and circumstances of our lives. However, over time this capacity seems to diminish and decline. Why is that? Are we doing something that naturally pushes our creative expression out of our daily life and interactions with others? Or is it something that is done to us by others? Let’s take a look at this in a little more detail:

Expansion of Creativity through Pre-School

For most of us, pre-school was a place where we predominantly had fun and played games. Yes of course, there was no doubt that it was also a place for learning, however the learning didn’t seem difficult or arduous as we were always entertained and involved within a myriad of clever and unique activities that got our creative juices flowing. We also tended not to suffer from the stress, anxiety and overwhelm that riddles our life experience today. Why is that? Maybe it was because we had a childlike approach to every new sensory learning experience. Or maybe it was the encouragement, support and freedom for creative expression that brought about our stress-free existence.

Decline of Creativity through High School

As we grow older and more mature we progress through to high school where suddenly we find our creative capacity squashed against a wall of criticism, judgment and punishment. One of the biggest drawbacks of our current high school system is in its inability to help students develop and expand on their creative capacity and intellect. Within the high school system students are punished for their mistakes, they are judged for their thinking and processing of information, and they are criticized for their weaknesses. All of this leads to a stressful learning environment that predominantly provides group attention and limits learning to only the visual and auditory sensory organs. Psychological studies have revealed that during pre-school 9 out of every 10 kids show a capacity for creative thought. However, as they progress through to high school, that number drops to 3 out of 10. What in the world is happening to our creative capacity? What are we doing wrong? How are we hurting our kids with our teaching methods? This is a long, deep and thought provoking topic that we may discuss in further detail another time.

Identifying the Creativity Spark

Creativity is something that at times seems so very illusive and out of reach. It is something that can come to us without a moments notice, and yet it can also instantly be lost if not harnessed in the correct manner. We will discuss strategies on how to stimulate creativity a little later on. however for now it is important to become aware of our creative tendencies so that we are better prepared for the messages that they send our way. For starters it is important to understand that creativity comes to all of us in a variety of different ways. For some people it comes as a burst of joy, excitement, inspiration or energy, while for others it may come through a subtle means that is more difficult to recognize. In the end, it doesn’t matter through which methods or mannerisms creativity comes to you, the most important thing is to learn to recognize and understand your body’s patterns of communicating the subtle messages that often get obscured by reality. Many creative ideas are lost before they even have an opportunity to harvest within our minds, because we simply fail to recognize the obscure patterns of their subtle messages. The solution lies hidden within our habitual patterns of thinking and behaving. By learning to watch and observe these subtle patterns, you will naturally condition your body to take notice of the creative messages that are coming your way.

Unlocking Your Creative Genius Mindset

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to journey into the mind of a creative genius?

Creative people have a somewhat unique way of thinking about things that allows their creative intellect to come to the forefront when they need it most. These creative individuals essentially work on cultivating certain characteristics and belief systems within their personality that proactively expand their understanding and awareness of the world around them. They also have a tendency to talk to themselves in a specific manner, that naturally encourages their creativity to expand and evolve as they go about finding solutions for their daily life problems and challenges. Finally, creative people take certain daily steps and actions that help them to expand their ability to think in new and unique ways. This branch of the IQ Matrix will specifically target these areas, helping us to gather a thorough understanding of the workings of a creative mind.

The Characteristics of a Creative Genius

A creative genius naturally cultivates within their personality certain and specific characteristics which are essential to the process of expanding their creative capacity. Let’s take a closer look at this creative mind by breaking down each of these characteristics one step at a time:

Flexibility in Thought, Opinion & Decision

A creative genius is flexible in thought, opinion and decision because creativity requires an open mind that takes many perspectives and opinions into consideration at one time. It is from this information that the creative mind is then able to piece together all of the essential ingredients that are required to bring their unique ideas into the physical world.

Possibility Thinker

A creative genius thinks that everything and anything is possible given enough time, thought and reflection.

Risk Taker

A creative genius naturally takes risks in thought and action, that help them to overcome the challenges they face in surprising and seemingly unexpected ways.

Focused Awareness

A creative genius sets clear goals and objectives that naturally enhance their focus and awareness as they progress along their journey towards manifesting a brilliant idea. Through the act of focus they are better able to direct their minds on the most important thoughts, concepts and ideas that will help them attain their end goal and objective.

Courageous Disposition

A creative genius is courageous in thought and action. Being courageous usually requires breaking the rules while going against orthodox methods of thinking and acting. They understand that the fastest way to a brilliant and unique idea is through the process of going against the grain. This is the philosophy they live by each and every day of their lives.

Imaginative Mind

A creative genius cultivates, grows and expands their imaginative methods of thinking each and every day. They understand that to successfully overcome the problems and challenges in their lives, that they must always be thinking in unique ways from a variety of different angles and perspectives. The creative strategies of brainstorming we will discuss later within this post will help you to get a deeper insight and understanding into this imaginative thought process.

Intuitive Perspective

A creative genius understands that the most brilliant ideas don’t usually come from the conscious mind, but rather from deep within the unconscious recesses of their intuitive mind – which is connected to the collective consciousness of all of humanity that is, was and ever will be.

Playful & Curious Nature

A creative genius has a curious and playful nature which naturally expands their ability to think about events, objects, other people and circumstances in unique and creative ways. They effectively approach every problem from a child-like perspective that is innocent (not constricted or limited by past thoughts and experiences) and reflective (always asking insightful questions about their current circumstances and reality).

Persistent

A creative genius understands that the answers won’t always reveal themselves in the first instance. They acknowledge the fact that it may be some time before the perfect idea comes to mind. As a result they approach each challenge as an unfolding journey of learning and experience that must be tackled in a persistent and patient manner.

Independent

Even though a creative genius takes other people’s ideas and opinions into consideration, they are essentially independent thinkers and doers. Through the process of independence they are in essence able to step away and effectively reflect upon the information they have gathered – from others and the world around them – and piece it together without the external pressure that the average populace experiences. Not being swayed by masses of opinion, allows them to think critically about their problems, thusly attracting better and more insightful solutions that will help them to attain their goals and objectives.

Dedicated

A creative genius is completely dedicated to their outcome. Through a dedicated spirit they are able to get more done in less time and with less effort.

Proactive

A creative genius always makes proactive decisions and takes proactive action. Yes, they can sit on their thoughts and ideas for long periods of time – allowing them to cultivate and grow within their minds. However, once an idea has been effectively crystallized within their mind, they will not hesitate, and will take immediate action to bring their thoughts into the physical world.

The Beliefs Systems of a Creative Genius

A creative genius essentially lives by 3 fundamental belief systems that direct all of their daily habits, thoughts, decisions and actions. These 3 belief systems essentially lay down the groundwork for the personality traits that were discussed above.

Belief in Personal Ability

A creative genius has an unshakable and an undeniable belief in their ability to think creatively and overcome any obstacle or problem that stands in their way.

Belief in a Higher Power

A creative genius believes that there is a higher power, a Godlike figure or energy within the Universe that helps to trigger and stimulate their creative potential. They also believe that this High Power connects all living things and matter into a Collective Consciousness of sorts that each and everyone of us can tap into at any moment in time. They utilize this Collective Consciousness to spark creative ideas and solutions to the problems confronting their reality.

Belief that there is No Failure, Only Feedback

A creative genius wholeheartedly believes that there is NO Failure, ONLY Feedback. Every decision and action has an outcome which brings with it specific consequences that we must learn to live with. If the resulting circumstances lead to negative consequences, than the average person will usually perceives these events as mistakes or failures. However, a creative genius only sees the process of Feedback taking shape. Everything that happens, just provides them with a greater array and variety of feedback to help them better their thinking, decisions and actions as they progress into the future. It took the great inventory Thomas Edison approximately 10,000 individual experiments before he successfully found a method that would make a light-bulb light up for an extended period of time. Throughout the course of his research he saw no failure, but rather only a feedback loop that provided him with a deeper insight and understanding into the process of “How NOT to develop a Light-Bulb”.

How a Creative Genius Talks to themselves

A creative genius has a habitual process of talking to themselves (externally and internally through their thought patterns) that naturally enhances their ability to think creatively under significant amounts of pressure and difficult circumstances.

The Language of Creativity

A creative genius’ language is always optimistic and focused on finding solutions to the challenges that are confronting their present reality. Their language is also very reflective in nature which stimulates deep thought about their present life circumstances. Questions are an essential component here, which we expand upon below.

Questioning Tactics of Creativity

A creative genius utilizes Strategic Questioning Tactics to help them think creatively about events and circumstances. These questions are focused on solutions and they always expand the possibilities of reality. It is ONLY through effective questioning tactics that a creative genius is able to bring forth the necessary creativity that allows them to manifest unique and clever ideas. Here is a typical question a creative genius would normally ask:

How can I get the most from every mistake I make?

The Simple Actions of a Creative Genius

A creative genius takes specific conscious habitual actions throughout their day that naturally enhance their creative thought process. Here is a closer look at some of these patterns of behavior:

Incorporating Journaling & Mind Mapping Tactics

A creative genius enjoys journaling or mind mapping their thoughts, ideas, learnings and experiences as it effectively helps them to trigger new insights and concepts that may not have been evident to them before. They understand that only through the process of turning a thought into a written word or diagram can they effectively take control of the vast amount of ideas that are continuously flowing in and out of their mind.  One of the greatest inventors of all time, Leonardo da Vinci was an avid note taker. He understood that it was very difficult to make sense of his ideas if they weren’t concretely presented on paper and laid out in front of him in a logical manner. It is through this diligent and dedicated process that he brought to life some of his most famous and well known inventions.

Proactive Learning

A creative genius understands that the process of creativity requires the constant and proactive habit of learning from every person, event, circumstance and experience. They diligently take time each day to learn new things and pick up unique perspectives and ideas from other people and their environment. All of these new insights and learnings help them to further expand their creativity and awareness on a daily basis, thusly improving their ability to successfully overcome the obstacles and challenges in unique and far more creative ways.

Process Orientation

A creative genius has an objective or goal in mind at all times, however, they are not fixated on their outcome, instead they focus their energy on the process of creation and the journey of transformation. They meticulously absorb themselves within the present moment or task they are currently working on. All of their thoughts, questions, energy and actions go into improving this process and bringing forth the ideal outcome that is consistent with their goal and objective.

Expanding Lucid Dreaming Ability

A creative genius understands that dreams can unlock doors to magnificent insights and ideas that the conscious mind cannot even comprehend. Moreover, they realize that only through the process of tapping into the unconscious mechanics of their inner mind, can they effectively solve the pressing problems that are confronting their reality. Given the importance of dream mechanics, they have taught themselves the process of Lucid Dreaming to help them tap into the unlimited reservoir of resources and ideas contained within their unconscious mind. We will discuss the process of Lucid Dreaming in a future Mind Map. If you are not familiar with the process of Lucid Dreaming, than please read this article.

Common Roadblocks Sabotaging Creativity

When it comes to stimulating creative thought, it’s sometimes not what you do but rather what you refrain from partaking in that will most heavily influence the creative thinking process. Within this branch of the IQ Matrix we will discuss some common external and internal roadblocks to creativity. As you read through these roadblocks, identify which ones are most applicable to your present circumstances or frame of mind. Most of them have already, or will be broken down in some length within a future IQ Matrix. However, for the purpose of this discussion let us quickly identify some of these roadblocks to help you better understand the obstacles of creativity that may currently be hindering you along your journey.

External Roadblocks

These are roadblocks that come from the external environment. Let’s take a look at 3 common creativity culprits.

Messy Environment

A messy disorganized environment leads to a messy and disorganized mind. We think with a greater clarity of thought when the environment we work, live and play in is spotless and systematized. In order to spark new creative insights the mind needs to be sharp and focused on only the process of attaining its goal and objective. If the external environment is messy, this leads to an overwhelming amount of sensory distractions that lead to ineffective thinking and unproductive habits.

Too Much Clutter

Clutter is closely intertwined with the previous point. However, the difference with clutter is that it can actually be organized and systematized in a way that improves our effectiveness and work efficiency. Yet, from another perspective, clutter can also become an overwhelming distraction because it forces our minds to work through too much “stuff”, which undermines the creative thinking process. A creative mind must have clarity of thought. It must have the ability to think freely and openly without falling into the web of a cluttered lifestyle and environment. Decide today to clear the clutter from your life, and you will open the doors to new creative insights and ideas.   

Sensory Distractions

A creative mind cannot think in creative ways if all it thinks about are the sensory distractions that get in its way. To enhance your creative output, make sure to remove all sensory distractions from your external environment. Sensory distractions could be people, unnecessary movement of objects, unpleasant smells, sounds, and even inappropriate temperature settings that lead to discomfort and inefficiency of thought. Have a read of Developing Smart Study Habits for further information.

Internal Roadblocks

These are roadblocks that come from internal thoughts, habits and patterns of behavior. Let’s take a look at some of the most common creativity culprits.

Fear of Criticism

We cannot think creatively when we fear that others will criticize us for our thoughts and ideas. Avoid this fear at all costs.

Fear of Making a Mistake

We cannot think creatively when we fear that we will make a mistake. This fear will literally paralyze our process of thinking and therefore lead to hesitancy and doubt, which sabotages the creative thinking process.

Fear of Breaking the Rules

We cannot think creatively when we are afraid of breaking the rules. A creative genius does not worry about standardized rules of thinking, acting or behaving. In fact, they acknowledge and understand that without breaking the rules, they will fail to develop their full creative potential.

The Emotion of Frustration

We cannot think creatively when we are suffering from the emotion of frustration. Frustration informs us that we have the ability to think and do things in a specific way, however due to unexplained circumstances, we cannot seem to get what we want when we want it most. Learn from your frustrations and alter your methods, strategies and tactics in order to help you achieve your desired outcome in quick succession.

The Emotions of Anger

We cannot think creatively when we are suffering from the emotion of anger. In many instances anger manifests as a result of ongoing long-term frustrations that we just cannot seem to overcome. Manage anger through a process of deduction. Simply identify the source of your anger. Next, develop some simple strategies that will help you to better manage and control these objects, people or events. And finally work on logical and tactical methods that will move you forward in a proactive and productive manner. We will discuss the process of managing anger in a future Mind Map.

The Emotion of Overwhelm

We cannot think creatively when we are suffering from the emotion of overwhelm. We become overwhelmed when we are dealing with too many tasks, have too many responsibilities or lack clarity through our thoughts and actions. First of all, take some time to gain clarity on the outcomes that you would like to achieve. Secondly, chunk your tasks and responsibilities down to make them easier to manage, delegate or let go of. And finally, systematize, learn to manage your time more effectively and take timeout to rejuvenate and clarify your thinking in a proactive manner that will help you to stimulate creative thought. We will discuss how to take charge of emotional patterns of behavior in greater depth in a future Mind Map.

Thoughts of Indecision

We cannot think creatively when we are indecisive. Indecision comes from a lack of clarity. Do some research, set some goals and objectives, and gain clarity on the outcome you would like to achieve. Once clarity has been obtained, indecision will tend to wane, and your creativity will flourish. We will discuss the process of Effective Decision Making in a future Mind Map.

Thoughts of Pessimism

We cannot think creatively when we are riddled with pessimistic thoughts. A creative mind constantly thinks about possibilities, solutions, and seemingly improbable answers that help them to break down obstacles and barriers with a string of creative ideas. Work through your pessimistic nature by beginning to focus ONLY on solutions, answers and possibilities to the problems that are currently shaping your reality. We will discuss strategies and tactics on how to cultivate a Positive Mental Attitude in a future Mind Map.

Practical & Logical Thinking

We cannot think creatively if we continue to think about things practically. A practical mind attempts to break down the validity and feasibility of an idea. This tends to stifle and paralyze creative thought, essentially limiting the flow of ideas and inspiration that creativity brings forth into our minds. To move through this roadblock successfully, simply ask yourself possibility questions that will help you to focus on solutions and answers.

Premature Judgment

We cannot think creatively if we persistently judge or jump to quick and rushed conclusions about the ideas that are harvesting within the recesses of our minds. To help you move through this roadblock it is important to remember not make quick judgments or conclusions before having fully allowed an idea to grow and cultivate within your mind.

Following the Rules

We cannot think creatively if we just follow the standardized rules of thinking and doing things. Instead think outside the box, think creatively about every event, object and circumstance in a way that hasn’t been thought of before, and break every rule within the rulebook along your way.

Lack of Belief

We cannot think creatively if we have a lack of belief in our own creative abilities. Your belief systems effectively determine the decisions and actions you make on a daily basis. This is why it is absolutely critical that you work on building an abundant amount of references (personal experiences) that will help you to gain confidence about yourself and your personal ability to be creative at all times. We will discuss methods, tactics and strategies on how to cultivate and develop empowering belief systems in a future Mind Map.

Lack of Confidence

We cannot think creatively if we lack confidence in our ability to bring forth a creative idea. The foundations of confidence effectively evolve from the quality and strength of our belief systems. Transform and grow your belief systems, and they will help you to build the self-confidence you need to unleash your creative potential. Confidence is also closely tied to our self-concept, which we will discuss in further detail in a future Mind Map.

Lack of Inspiration

We cannot think creatively if we suffer from a lack of inspiration. Inspiration comes through us in a variety of unique and individualistic ways. Whether you find inspiration in music, nature, within other people, while watching plants grow, going to the movies, reading a motivational book, or through the simple process of smelling flowers – it simply doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are able to tap and unlock this inspiration within yourself when you need it most, thusly enabling you to stimulate instant creativity. The NLP process of Anchoring is also another great method for stimulating the electricity of inspiration within your body. It basically involves the process of creating an emotional bodily anchor (through the process of touch) that automatically triggers an inspirational state of mind to help stimulate your creative abilities. We will discuss the process of Anchoring in further detail in a future Mind Map.

Lack of a Concrete Vision

We cannot think creatively if we lack clarity about the future outcomes we would like to experience within our reality. This doesn’t mean that we must be meticulously specific about our approach towards obtaining these outcomes. In fact, in order to stimulate more profound creative thought, it is actually recommended that we are flexible with our approach, while at the same time being specific with the outcomes and visions we would like to realize within the physical world.

Lack of Energy

We cannot think creatively if we lack the physical energy to get out of bed in the morning. If you suffer from this unfortunate habit, than have a read of Keys to Creating Abundant Energy.

Simple Strategies that Enhance Creativity

The creative process is a very personal experience. In fact, the creative methods of thinking that work well for one person, may indeed lead to a great deal of frustration for another person. This is why it is so important to develop your own personal style of thinking that will help you to expand on your thoughts and ideas in creative and unique ways. However, if at the moment you do not believe that you are very proficient in expanding your creative processes of awareness, than the following suggestions will hopefully help you to gain a few unique insights and understandings that will encourage you to think creatively. As you are reading through these strategies, be sure to expand upon and restructure these methods in your own unique way. By taking ownership of these strategies you will effectively work through any problem and challenge that confronts your reality with greater proficiency and speed.

Conscious Stimulation of Creativity

As you go about your day it is important to stay focused and centered on your creative visions and objectives. In order to help you with this process, here is a list of some simple methods you can utilize to stimulate your creativity throughout your day:

Day Dreaming

This is a wonderful method of bringing forth creative ideas to the forefront of your mind. Simply write down a question you are seeking an answer to on a piece of paper, then rest back on your chair and close your eyes. Clarify the question within your mind by repeating it over and over again in a variety of ways. After a couple of minutes just settle back and relax without longing for an answer. For the next 20 minutes or so, Just enjoy the pleasant thoughts that flow across your mind like clouds floating through the sky. If you create enough focus and intention, you will usually find that fragments of the answers you are looking for come to you as visions within your mind. Sometimes these visions will be somewhat obscure or metaphorical in nature. However, they will no doubt hold hidden clues to the answers you are seeking.

Pleasant Music

Music that relaxes and calms our mind naturally disarms us and stimulate the natural flow of creative thought. Whenever you seek inspiration, simply remove yourself from all external distractions, close your eyes and play your favorite piece of music. As the music plays, reflect on a pressing question that you seek answers to. Once the question has been posed, just lay back and simply pay attention to the patterns of the music that is absorbing every cell of your being. Believe it or not, you may actually find that your answers will come to you in visions reflected within the music you are listening to.

Laughter

Laughter is a great stimulator of creativity because it essentially relieves stress and the built-up tension that we carry around within our body. Therefore find as many ways as you can to laugh and be happy throughout your day.

Gaining Clarity

If in doubt, your creativity will not sprout. Therefore constantly work on gaining clarity about the outcomes you desire to experience throughout your day. The greater your clarity the more effectively you will think about the events and circumstances within your life, and this will likewise help to stimulate the creative spark within your mind.

Challenging Assumptions

As we go about our day, we tend to make an infinitesimal amount of assumptions about the events and circumstances of our lives. Assumptions that are not questioned or challenged effectively setup roadblocks that prevent us from progressing forward with our lives. The worst part about this, is that we are blinded by many of these roadblocks because we never questioned them in the first place. Hence, begin today by questioning even the most obvious of circumstances, and you will effectively open the doors to a surge of creative energy.

Thinking Like a Child

As previously discussed, children are very inquisitive, and this naturally stimulates a creative flow of energy that they bring forth into their daily actions. In order to keep this creative flow of energy circulating throughout your body, it is important to cultivate a constant and persistent curious nature as you go about your day. This will assist you to overcome the problems and challenges that are confronting your life, and help raise your emotional levels of awareness about the world around you.

Thinking in Metaphors

Metaphors are essentially the windows to the creative mind. Many times we will fail to fully comprehend an idea when it is presented to us in a logical manner. On the other hand, when the idea is articulated within a story focused on metaphorical concepts that are familiar to us, than it is instantly assimilated and understood. This takes practice, however, the more often you think about the problems and challenges within your life from a metaphorical perspective, the greater your capacity for creative thought will be realized.

Thinking in Possibility Questions

As you go about your day you MUST cultivate the habit of thinking in terms of possibilities. The best and most effective way to do this is by repeatedly asking one simple question:

What if…?

Enhancing Creativity Through Strategic Questioning

The problems and challenges we face every single day are nothing more than perspectives of our judgmental minds. They are only problems because we do not yet perceive them as being anything else. They are in fact overwhelming aspects of our lives, because we feel as though we lack control, the willpower and skill to deal with them in an effective manner. However, what most of us probably don’t realize is that our problems can easily be overcome if we just learn to ask ourselves the right kinds of questions that will expand our understanding and awareness about the problem from a variety of different angles and perspectives. We must essentially obtain a full 360 degree overview of the problem before unleashing our creative juices. This process involves a 3 pronged attack that we briefly discuss below:

Identification Questions

These questions help identify the circumstances of the problem, which help you to see it from a variety of different angles and perspectives. Here you would essentially ask Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? questions to assist you in identifying the circumstances and events that created the problem.

Time Specific Questions

These questions help identify the Time Specific effect of the problem. They essentially delve into the Past? Present? and Future? impact of the problem under question. The more thorough of an understanding we have about the Time Specific circumstances and impact of the problem, the more creatively and effectively we will be able to manage it.

Awareness Questions

These questions help to identify the personal impact that the problem has upon the individual – given the skills, resources, and tools that the individual has at their disposal. The questions focus on the Spiritual? Mental? Emotional? and Physical? impact of the problem under question. When we have a comprehensive understanding of the problem’s impact on our “being” – given everything we have at our disposal – than we will be better prepared to clear the path for the creative solutions that must follow.

Once you have completed this Strategic Questioning Process, you are finally ready to take the plunge into the Creative Cycle which we discuss below.

The Creativity Cycle

The following is a quick summary of a recommended process of creativity that will help you unlock a deep reservoir of creative ideas:

Settlement Phase

In order to bring forth creative inspiration, your first objective is to settle yourself within a motivational and relaxing environment that naturally stimulates the creative thought process. For further insights and ideas on how to create this environment, have a read of Developing Smart Study Habits.

Rejuvenation Phase

Once you are settled and relaxed within your creative environment, you must now close your eyes and bring forth into your mind past creative successes and achievements that will help inspire and put you into a state of “creation”. The greater the emotional intensity you bring forth here, the more inspiring the surge of creative energy you will feel expanding outwards from your body.

Creation Phase

At this point you are now ready to apply some of the creative strategies we will discuss below in order to bring forth unique, ingenious and brilliant ideas that will spark instant creativity. It is important here not to judge the concepts that you bring forth into your mind. Instead become a possibility thinker who persistently expands upon their ideas in many surprising and unexpected ways. Take out a piece of paper and mind map the creative visions that are forming within the recesses of your mind.

Synchronization Phase

Having already conceptualized some brilliant ideas, you are now ready to draw out a plan of how you will bring these ideas into the physical world. Begin now by thinking logically about your thoughts and ideas in ways that will help you to make sense of them in the real world. This stage essentially involves drawing up a plan of action that will help you to implement your ideas with great proficiency within the final stage of the Creativity Cycle.

Implementation Phase

Having conceptualized an idea and drawn up a plan of action, you are now ready to take the necessary steps that will help you to bring your ideas into the physical world. In order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your plan, it is important that you stick to a flexible approach and constantly expands your thinking and awareness about the possibilities and opportunities that you could take advantage of at any moment in time. For more information, please read Awaken Your Problem Solver from Within IQ Matrix.

The SCRAMPER Technique of Creative Thought

SCRAMPER is a creative problem solving technique that will help you ignite new insights and ideas about the daily challenges and obstacles you face. This post will only provide you with an introduction to this process. If you seek further insights into this technique than please have a read of Creative Problem Solving with SCAMPER. Luciano has put together a very thorough analysis of this technique. As a bonus he is also giving away a free downloadable reference Mind Map and provides a link to an online questioning strategy tool that will help you overcome your daily life problems and challenges.

Before proceeding with this method of creative thinking, bring to mind a problem that is currently causing you a little difficulty. As you read the questions one at a time, keep in mind that your goal is to stimulate creative thought, new insights and understandings that will assist you to view the problem from a unique angle and perspective. Every step of the SCRAMPER technique will bring to light some intriguing solutions that you must further develop and expand upon in order to attain the outcome you are after. Hence it is paramount that you do not stop at this technique, but rather utilize all the strategies discussed up to this point.

Substitute

Here your creative goal and objective is to replace a part of your problem with something else. You can effectively change things, places, people, ideas or even your emotions. Each and everyone of these “substitutions” will effectively provide you with a new insight and understanding that will help you reach an effective and creative solution to your problem. Here are some questions you may like to ask:

How can I replace or change the parts of this problem with something that will best help me attain my desired outcome? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

How can I somehow replace the people involved within this problem? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

How can the rules be changed in someway in order to make this work? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

How can I change my feelings and attitude towards this problem? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

Combine

Here your creative goal and objective is to combine different aspects of the problem in a unique and imaginative way that will help you to effectively solve the dilemma that is confronting your reality. The key here is combining seemingly unrelated ideas and concepts with the problem under question. Here are some questions you might like to ask:

What ideas or parts of this problem could I potentially combine? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

How can I shift and combine different aspects of this problem in a way that will provide me with a solution? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

How can I merge this problem with other objects in a way that will provide me with a solution? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

Random Input

(This is an addition to the standard SCAMPER process) Here your creative goal and objective is to essentially input random attributes of other objects, circumstances or problems in order to reach an effective creative solution. Here are some questions you might like to ask:

How can I utilize the attributes of a newspaper (or any other object, circumstance, problem or person) to efficiently solve this problem? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

As an example, a newspaper has the following attributes: has a large area, is printed, is flexible, is made up of separate pieces, is soft, light and porous. Now, your goal is to take each of these attributes and randomly input them into your problem. Remember that your outcome is to stimulate creative thought, it’s about finding an effective solution at this moment. Moreover, you have to keep in mind that as you move through this SCRAMPER technique that it’s not one single idea that will lead you to a solution, but rather a combination of ideas that will spark the answers you need, to overcome this problem successfully.

How would I effectively deal with this problem if it was larger than I initially expected?

How would I effectively deal with this problem if it was flexible in nature?

How would I effectively deal with this problem if it was made up of separate bits and pieces? etc…

Adapt

Here your creative goal and objective is to adapt an existing idea in such a way that it will help you to successfully solve your problem. Here are some questions you might like to ask:

What else is like this? How could I use it? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

Is there something similar to my problem, but in a different context?

What solutions does the past bring to light about the current problem?

What could I copy, borrow or steal from other approaches that were made in an attempt to solve this problem? – these approaches individually may not have worked. However if you combine a few of them together you may be surprised by the results.

Whose characteristics, strategy and methods could I model or emulate in order to successfully overcome this problem? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

Magnify

Here your creative goal and objective is to figure out ways you could effectively magnify or exaggerate your problem in a way that could potentially bring to light some weaknesses or unique insights and perspectives. Here are some questions you might like to ask:

How can I magnify and make this problem larger? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

How can I exaggerate and overstate the problem? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

How can I increase the frequency of this problem? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem? What hidden solutions may this bring to light?

How can I duplicate this problem in another area of my life? - the process of duplication may bring to light some amazing insights as you try and replicate the “creation process” that initially triggered the problem.

Put to Other Uses

Here your creative goal and objective is to see how you could potentially put the problem to other uses from alternative perspectives. Here are some questions you might like to ask:

How can I utilize this problem to my advantage in order to bring forth an effective solution? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

How would a child effectively approach this problem? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

What other potential perspectives could exist that would provide me with effective solutions?

Eliminate

Here your creative goal and objective is to eliminate or minimize different parts of the problem. Here are some questions you might like to ask:

How can I simplify this problem right down to its basic skeletal structure? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

What parts of the problem can I control and effectively remove or eliminate altogether? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem? Could it lead to a solution?

Rearrange

Here your creative goal and objective is to rearrange your problem in such a way that effectively spins the problem on its head and provides you with a unique and different perspective.  Here are some questions you might like to ask:

How can I rearrange the problem in such a way that I successfully minimize its negative consequences? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

Can I change the speed, time, or location of this problem in order to successfully minimize its negative consequences? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

What potential solutions come to light if I viewed the problem back-to-front? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

What potential ingenious solutions could I bring to light if I did the exact opposite of what I thought? What effect would that have? How would it effectively transform my perspective about the problem?

Final Thoughts

From an outsiders perspective, creativity can seem like an omnipotent ability that is somewhat mystical in nature. The great thinkers of this world make it seem so easy and natural as they go about their daily lives bringing seemingly impossible concepts into physical reality. Yet there is a lot more to creativity than at first meets the eye. It is effectively a habitual process of thought and reflection about the world, that brings to light new learnings, perspectives and understandings. It is also a structured process of ongoing development, that is at the same time very flexible in its nature. And yet it is simply a “process”, that can be learned, mastered, and perfected.

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you have utilized any of these creative thinking strategies, or would like to share some of your own, than please feel free to comment below.

Spotlight on the MasterMind Matrix

The process of Creative Problems Solving is an important and indispensable component of the MasterMind Matrix.

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The MasterMind Matrix is a Psychological Chart of Personal Success and Achievement. It is used as an effective Self-Coaching tool that will help guide you through the personal obstacles, setbacks and limitations that may stand in your way as you progress towards the attainment of your goals and objectives in the field of academics, business, career, sports, or life in general.

Each IQ Matrix Mind Map that is available through this website represents a single cell fragment of the MasterMind Matrix. For more information and images, visit the MasterMind Matrix page.

Edward de Bono’s Thoughts on Creativity

Free Articles & Online Resources

Here are a number of highly recommended free articles and online resources that will further help expand your understanding about this topic:

• Your Creative Genius Mindset: The Essential Qualities for Outside the Box Thinking @ Lifehack
• Creative Problem Solving with SCAMPER @ Litemind
• 8 Ways to Spark Your Creativity @ Positivity Blog
• 5 Creativity Videos on YouTube @ Abundance Blog
• Remove Your 10 Blocks to Creativity @ Attraction Mind Map
• The 3 Pillars of Creativity @ Change Your Thoughts
• How to Create Ideas – Lessons from Idea Generators @ Life Optimizer
• 25 Audacious Creativity Tools @ Abundance Blog
• 6 Powerful Tools to Breakdown Your Idea Brick Walls @ Life Optimizer
• 9 Lessons Richard Feynman Taught Us About Creativity @ Life Optimizer
• 20 Tips for Accelerating a Creative Flow @ Scott H Young
• 21 Not So Quick Tips to Improve Creativity @ Scott H Young
• 20 Creative Thinking Techniques @ Abundance Blog
• 30 Tips to Rejuvenate Your Creativity @ Lifehack
• 4 Steps to Unleash Your Creative Genius @ The Change Blog
• Think Like a Genius @ ZME Life Tips
• 75 Creativity Quotes @ Abundance Blog
• 10 Imaginative Ways to Pump Your Mind for Ideas @ Cultivate Greatness
• How to be More Creative at Work the Homer Simpson Way @ The Daily Mind
• 45 Unforgettable Quotes about Ideas @ I Need Motivation
• 22 Great Quotes on Curiosity @ I Need Motivation
• How to be More Creative @ Illuminated Mind
• 10 Ways to Develop Your Creativity @ Schaefer’s Blog
• Develop Your Creative Genius with Tony Buzan’s Advice @ Personal Development
• 18 Ways to be Uber Creative @ Abundance Blog
• 30 Ways to Increase Your Creativity @ Abundance Blog
• 10 Great Ways to Jump-start Your Creativity @ Dumb Little Map
• 30 Creativity Cards: A Gift I Made for You @ Abundance Blog
• The Secret of Unbridled Creativity @ Abundance Blog
• 16 Top Tips for Awakening Creativity & Innovation @ Urban Monk
• 5 Imaginative Ways to Generate Ideas @ Abundance Blog
• Lateral Thinking: Think Out of the Box @ Abundance Blog
• The Powerful Link Between Creativity & Play @ I Need Motivation
• Creative Thinking Techniques: The Playful Edition @ Abundance Blog
• 100 Powerful Web Tools to Organize Your Thoughts & Ideas @ Online College Blog
• A Simple Tip for Finding Good Ideas @ Life Optimizer
• The Power of Curiosity @ Scott H. Young
• 101 Creativity Innovation Books: Your Creativity Library @ Abundance Blog

Recommended Products

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Recommended Books

• Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius by Michael Michalko
• Creativity in the Classroom: Schools of Curious Delight by Alane Jordan Starko
• The Zen of Creativity: Cultivating Your Artistic Life by John Daido Loori
• Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative Thinking Techniques by Michael Michalko
• Creativity Revealed: Discover the Source of Inspiration by Scott Jeffrey

If you would like to download a copy of this IQ Matrix, it is available from the IQ Matrix Shop.