On a few occasions, I've been asked how I go about being creative. What process do I use, etc. Now, I'm not the most creative person around but, I do enjoy diving into any form of creative ideation. In my definition, creativity is thinking beyond the world around you.
There is a group of people that I can very confidently say, is the most creative group I've ever had the experience of interacting with. No, this is not a design thinking group. This group is called "children." OK, hold on a second. I know, "children are creative" is not a new and novel observation. But, why? Why are children so creative?
Psychology and neuroscience aside, here are my beliefs on why children are inherently creative:
- They just don't care what anyone thinks about their idea
- They think they are the first person to ever think of it
- They aren't concerned with the differences between reality and fantasy
With this in mind, my answer and my process to how to best go about thinking creatively, is to think like a kid. Perhaps easier said than done but, there are ways to pry your grown-up cap off and put your kid-cap on. Here are a few tips:
- Read and/or watch pure fiction - put the HBR down and immerse yourself in make-believe
- Question everything - ask why over and over again
- Believe anything is possible - truly anything
Something I like to say related to creativity and ideation is that it is much easier to start in the world of fantasy and make your way back to reality than it is to go in the opposite direction.
Try it out next time you get stuck and can't think beyond what is in front of you. Or, just ask the nearest kid.
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