How do search for ideas? In what ways do you outwardly express your creativity?
Mastering Your Inner Genius
This book is the second of a three-part series on creativity by Bryan Collins. He begins with a saying from the Far East, “creativity is like carrying a bucket to the river.” The purpose is to fill your bucket with as many small ideas as possible and then distill them into a single, big idea with impact. (p. 89) The book highlights ways to adopt a mindset that generates creative ideas. Collins makes a point that there are no original ideas, only past ideas that are re-told and collected in various ways. (p. 91).
The Adventure of the Hunt for Ideas
- You have to take the initiative to seek out ideas in your daily life – creative ideas are all around you (p. 107)
- Document the ideas in one or multiple formats: e.g., notebook, pen, and paper, digital, audio recording, video, photography (p.93)
- Practice writing for various topics to generate ideas
- Leverage what you have already created in the past (p. 112)
- Can you re-shape it into something new?
- Something different?
- Take charge of your creativity (p.131)
- Practice creating your own conceptions
- Seek the unexpected
- Write around the margins of your day (p. 130)
- Cultivate intense curiosity
- Ask lots of questions
- Keep a running list of your thoughts and what inspires you
- Don’t be afraid to fail
While you’re being creative, nothing is wrong; there is no such thing as a mistake – any dribble may lead to the breakthrough. – John Cleese
Practical Exercises for Your Inner Genius
Below are a few methods I use on a regular basis in my writing and creative process. They work for me when I need to stir the waters for a deeper creative mindset.
First – Six Thinking Hats (p. 93)
- Imagine wearing a different color hat that represents a focus toward generating your ideas
- Blue Hat – what is your strategy for your creative designs
- White hat – write about the facts of your concepts
- Red hat – what are the emotions around your idea
- Black hat – write about your big idea in a logical manner
- Yellow hat – what are the benefits of your idea
- Green hat – explore how you can be more creative with your idea – expansive thinking
Second – Free-flow Writing (p. 96)
- Write in a notebook or on a laptop for a set time expressing your thoughts and ideas
- Write at a rapid pace, without stopping, and without passing judgment on what you write
- A similar technique I use is from Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, who calls this method the “morning pages.”
- Whatever time you do this type of writing, the goal is to get the thoughts in your head onto paper
Third – Mindmapping (p. 98)
- Creative way to brainstorm your ideas and find links and connections to your thoughts
- Draw your thoughts that focus on a single idea
- A mind map looks like tree branches stemming from one central idea
- Mind maps are creative strategies
The desire to know is natural… – Leonardo da Vinci
The possibilities are endless. To foster your inner genius, you have to bring your ideas from your mind to an outward expression. Practice this often.
What method helps you generate ideas? What fosters your creativity? Your inner genius?
I welcome your comments.
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