Ask America’s ultimate experts
It’s the key to everything from solving problems to living more joyfully every day. Here, easy ways to boost your already impressive imagination
Believe in you You’ve got this
The biggest roadblock to creativity is our belief that it’s a rarified gift reserved for geniuses. “Creativity is about more than just making art or inventing something,” reveals expert Cyndi Burnett. “It’s about being open, curious and authentic.” Burnett contends that simply solving a problem without consulting Google means you’re more creative than you realize. “Just knowing that you do indeed have this potential within you is the start to unleashing it.”
Ditch the judge
Our inner critic often censors our ideas while they’re still in their infancy. “One of the best ways to ignite creativity is to notice why, when and where we’re judging ourselves,” says Burnett. “Just ask yourself why you’re so hard on yourself. Is it from fear of being wrong or embarrassed? When you can stop and really listen to yourself without criticism, it becomes much easier to see possibilities.”
Follow your daydreams
“Creativity isn’t about forging something completely new; rather, it combines two already existing ideas in a novel way,” says expert Keith Sawyer, PH.D. He explains that in a process called “incubation,” our unconscious mind brings together disparate ideas to solve a problem while our conscious mind is relaxing. That’s why so many great insights come to us when we step away from a task to take a walk or daydream. In other words, boredom is a powerful catalyst of creativity.
Free your mind Chase crazy ideas
Don’t throw out your weirdest idea, urges Sawyer. Instead, pinpoint the part of it with the most potential. “For example, a wool company brainstorming an ad campaign came up with the ‘crazy’ idea to herd a flock of sheep down Fifth Avenue,” he recalls. “Instead of trashing that idea, they looked at what might be valuable about it, and hired a dog walker to walk 10 sheep through New York City.” Needless to say, it turned a few heads. “Look at what’s ‘okay’ about an idea and see if you can turn it into something great.”
Collaborate with Oprah
When we’re in a state of “flow,” we have a wealth of insights. “Research shows we’re happiest not when relaxing but when facing a challenge that meets our skill level,” says Sawyer. And “group flow” is arguably even better because it taps collective creativity. He says you can “collaborate” just by picturing your “personal board of directors,” people you admire like Oprah or Sam Walton. “Imagining what they would say is a leap of imagination that stokes yours.”
Keep playing
“When my husband passed, the only thing that helped was being creative—painting, gardening and cooking saved me,” reveals expert Bonnie Cramond, PH.D., who promises you don’t need to be a master to reap the benefits. “It’s been said that a good soup is just as creative as a poem.” In other words, an everyday activity like cooking can be an art form, so keep experimenting with new activities—you’re sure to discover hidden strengths.