CREATIVE THINKING

Creative thinking techniques

There is no limit to ways there are of thinking creatively. Some techniques you can begin with are:

• Brainstorm ideas on one topic onto a large piece of paper: don't edit these. Just write them down.
• Allowing yourself to play with an idea whilst you go for a walk.
• Draw or paint a theory on paper.
• Ask the same question at least twenty times and give a different answer each time.
• Combine some of the features of two different objects or ideas to see if you can create several more.
• Change your routine. Do things a different way. Walk a different route to college.
• Let your mind be influenced by new stimuli such as music you do not usually listen to.
• Be open to ideas when they are still new: look for ways of making things work and pushing the idea to its limits.
• Ask questions such as 'what if….?' Or 'supposing….?'.

A state of mind

Creative thinking skills are as much about attitude and self-confidence as about talent. Creativity is often less ordered, structured and predictable. As you are not looking for 'one' answer, you are likely to come up with lots of suggestions that are not 'right'. This can be difficult if you are more used to analytical and logical approaches. It can also be experienced as 'risky' as the prospect of making a mistake or not coming up with an answer is more likely.

The nature of mind causes us to create for it hold memories and most of those memories carry a judgement of which were enjoyable and not enjoyable. Many of those judgement acts as desires that pull or push us away from certain things in life. Hence, we cannot not create. We will always create. We already are creating. The question is are we creating consciously or subconsciously.