How to Be a More Creative - Methods of Creativity

I’m not sure where I got this material from - it’s likely that at least some of it comes from some of Edward DeBono’s material (but it’s been a decade since I researched this).


So where do creative ideas come from?
As I ponder the different types of creative posts that I’ve written or that I’ve seen others write - they generally come in one of the following ways:

1. Evolution
When new ideas come as a result of building upon previous ones. This is very much a step by step process where at each step the progression in ideas very small but where over time it is significant.

A great blog related example of this has been the evolution of most blogging platforms, like WordPress which periodically updates it’s features - building each time on what they previously had.

Most bloggers enter into this evolutionary process every day with their blogging - taking previously expressed ideas (both their own and those of others) and extending them.

A good question to ask yourself when entering into this evolutionary process is - ‘how could I improve (insert thing to evolve here)….?’

Evolution isn’t the ’sexiest’ of the methods that I’ll talk about here - but it’s probably the most common way of creating new ideas.


2. Reapplication
When you look at something old in a new way.

The exercise that I did with participants in my presentation to illustrate this point was to give each person a fork and to tell them to come up with as many new uses for a fork as they could in 2 minutes.


Most people start that type of exercise somewhat paralyzed by their previous boxing of forks - but breaking outside the box can lead to some interesting (and sometimes useful )discoveries.

A question to ask - ‘how could I do XXX differently?’


3. Synthesis
Where two or more existing ideas are combined into a third new idea.

This is one of my favorite ways of being creative. I like the challenge and possibilities that it can bring.

This is what happened that fateful day that someone wondered what would happen if they combined the idea of a theatre and a restaurant together - theatre restaurant.

It’s this Synthesis that I think we’re seeing more and more of in the blogosphere at present as people combine blogs with other types of websites (forums, video, audio, job boards, chat rooms etc).

A question to ask when entering into synthesis - ‘how could I take the benefits of XXX and combine them with the benefits of YYY’?


4. Revolution
Where a completely new idea that is markedly different from a previous one is developed.

An example that comes to mind is of a blogger that I recently met who used to be an email newsletter marketer. He found that his newsletter lists were becoming less and less effective so decided to move from newsletters to blogs - reinventing (and enlivening) his business in the process.

His goals didn’t really change but his methods did considerably.

A question to ask - instead of asking ‘how can I make XXX better’ one might ask - ‘what could I do instead of XXX to achieve the same goals?’


5. Changing Direction
Where there is a complete change of focus.

This is a fairly radical process for a business or individual to take and generally involves wiping a slate clean to rebuild from the ground up.A question to ask in this case - ‘if we could start over - how would we do things differently?’

I’m sure there are other ways to be creative (and I’d be interested to hear your suggestions below) but the above five might make a good place to start.

Note - each of the above methods can be applied as bloggers on at least a couple of levels including during the writing of posts but also on a broader level as we think about our whole blogs and what we’re developing on a big picture level.

paint my art on the wall

We took 2 week to done. This's my first time to paint my art on the shopping mall (Jasco), very funny and has a lot of fresh feeling: D I start without concept or draft; we painted directly with my vague appearance. I knew that’s not a professional way but... I love to try ^.^

Thanks to all the artists that were involved. Liz, Jeffery Cks, Fabian.

Ink & paint illustration on the walls of the Shopping Mall (Jasco) Johor, Malaysia.

My New Creation "Stone Art"

Things of beauty stand out whereas assembly line products do not! I'm work with the beauty of nature, the color and patterns in stone, enhance these to reflect my feelings and emotions. Stone Art is my new creation. It is the art of using inlayed stones to create mosaic pictures. I do this for my SAATCHI friends. ^.^

Missing someone...

Have u ever missed someone and felt terrible because u think that she doesn’t miss u?
Missing someone is a terrible but at the same time, sweet feeling. U will be sitting around wondering if u meant anything to her. Thinking if she ever cares about u. Rushing to the phone once it rings hoping that it’s her. Looking out of the window hoping that she will surprise u by appearing downstairs. Sitting in front of the television but thinking of her missing the final episode of your favourite show.
Laying on your bed, thinking of the last time u went out together. Thinking of how nice it will be to sit under the stars again, talking about everything, your dreams, plans, future. Logging on to the internet hoping to see her online. When u realise that she isn’t online and did not return your page, u will start worrying if she is okay. Missing someone is a way of growing up i guess. It exposes u to loneliness. It teaches u how to cope with being lonely and let u know that there is actually a feeling known as emptiness.
Sometimes it feels good to miss someone. U know that u really care and u indulge in the feeling of oving/caring for her. But missing someone and not knowing if she is feeling the same is terrible. U feel as if u are being left alone. So if u miss someone, tell him/her and let them know. At the same time, ask if they miss u. Don’t let the feeling of missing someone become jealousy or paranoid. If u are the one being missed and u know it, let the other party know. if u miss him/her too, tell them. Don’t let them wait.
Life is unfair to most ppl and feel especially to me!!! mabye i feel it is unfair coz i am not contented with what i have, but isn’t pursuing the things u want will make u a better person? so how to stay contented with wat u have if u have so little like me?

Super Star

Wishing you all the great things in life, hope this day will bring you an extra share of all that makes you happiest.Happy Birthday, and may all the wishes and dreams you dream today turn to reality.

May this day bring to you all things that make you smile. Happy Birthday!

media:photoshop

Im sick!

I HATE being sick. I've got a fever and runny nose. I took coricidin. Its 9pm and I'm exhausted. I have to work tommorow, because I have a lot to do and I so wish I could post something tonight but Ill have to wait because I'm so sick.