The Creative Mind

Developing Creativity newsletter: Information and inspiration to enhance creativity and personal development

Topics:

The Dyslexic and Creative Mind;

Innovation Excellence article;

Growing Up Gifted Is Not Easy By Elaine Aron

Highly creative people often seem weirder than the rest of us. Now researchers know why

"Both creativity and eccentricity may be the result of genetic variations that increase cognitive disinhibition—the brain’s failure to filter out extraneous information."

It's time for one of my very favorite creative thinking strategies: Think Like A Wise Fool Image from Wise Fool Carrying the strategy of "looking at things differently" to extremes brings us to the realm of the Wise Fool...

"The great benefit of the wise fool's antics and observations is that they stimulate our thinking. They jolt us in the same way that a splash of cold water awakens us when we are drowsy."

New German research finds a darkened room encourages freedom of thought and inspires innovation.

“It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write. What keeps us from sitting down is Resistance.”

Author Steven Pressfield goes on to describe in his book ‘The War of Art’ how this “Resistance” holds people back from being more creative. The book emphasizes that confronting creative blocks is an “Inner Creative Battle” against mental varieties of enemy, some of them very subtle, not so clear and definable as an outer foe.

"During your working lives, you will have to reinvent yourselves many times. Success and satisfaction will not come from mastering a fixed body of knowledge but from constant adaptation and creativity in a rapidly changing world."

Global firm IDEO incorporates human behavior into product design -- an innovative approach being taught at Stanford. Charlie Rose profiles the company's founder, David Kelley.

When do we lose the wonder and awe of childhood? How do we become so solemn and cynical? What happened to the simple sense of humour we used to have, when anything remotely silly could provoke giggles?

"Since physical metaphors regarding creativity are so common and appear in several different languages, a group of researchers hypothesized that they may extend beyond mere clichés. But can acting out metaphors really affect how our minds work?"

'Geniuses are not omnipotent. They are just very skilled at employing the creativity toolbox': 'Genius Unmasked' by Roberta Ness.

Creativity has two phases: generation and evaluation. You need to adopt a different mindset for each.

"In his wildly popular 2006 TED talk, Sir Ken Robinson defined creativity as “the process of having original ideas that have value.” Aside from being wonderfully succinct, this definition implies that any creative enterprise requires two key phases:

“I didn’t speak the language and didn’t have any friends, [so] my parents bought a piano for me,” she wrote, hoping it would provide their daughter with a productive way to spend her free time. And, to put things mildly, the  plan worked out: she earned the top prize at the International Steinway Piano Competition soon after her studies had commenced.

In terms of creativity and originality Deerhoof are true innovators in the music realm. The New York Times has even said “Deerhoof is one of the most original rock bands to have come along in the last decade.” I’ve been a fan for years and was stoked to be able to see them play at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art last year when I coincidentally was in town for a conference. I had a hunch Think Jar Collective and its readers could learn from Deerhoof‘s creativity and was grateful to be able to chat with one of Deerhoof’s founders Greg Saunier

Have you ever spent an hour staring at a blank piece of paper, willing some new ideas to spill onto the page, only to feel disappointed and exhausted when nothing materializes?

"You might be going about brainstorming the wrong way. To generate new ideas, give your brain a break. Try starting with a clear mind, and avoid being so direct in your thinking.

"When Albert Einstein said, “Why is it I get my best ideas while shaving?” I think he was on to something with this observation."