Writing a blog post requires creativity, even if you don't realize it at first. Even if you have a clear outline, a page full of well-researched info, notes, and an outline, you still need to think outside the box to make the post interesting.
Even if you do everything right and tick off all the boxes, the post may not do well or rank well. Without a little bit of creativity, it's hard to create engaging or exciting content. This applies to a whole range of activities, not just blogging.
Let's take a look at ways to increase creativity and get those creative juices flowing.
Some people are very logical thinkers and have a hard time being creative or expressing it. But, others are always creative and love doing things that are technical or come with fixed instruction. We are all different but doing some creative things on a daily basis can really help us develop.
The good news is you can learn creativity to a certain extent.
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. As a member of the Amazon Associates program, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases.
What do you need to do to increase creativity?
Two things are necessary to increase creativity.
First, you must encourage creativity.
Second, you must also train your brain.
You can have greater creativity by starting to do both of these things right away.
You'll see more creativity if you encourage it. This holds true for all the things you desire to see in your life. Encouragement can work wonders. But how can you encourage creativity?
There's no easy method. But what you can do is pay attention to it. Your subconscious mind will give you more of the things you pay attention to.
Your subconscious mind will tell you that the creative aspects in your life are not important if you don't pay attention to them. Your subconscious mind will begin to feed you more creative ideas if you notice when you are creative and look for opportunities to do so.
You'll find it if you look for it.
Write down ideas
Writing down your ideas is another way to increase creativity. You'll find that you have more ideas when you write. Although a simple idea might be forgotten, writing it down can help you remember it. Your subconscious will work on it and transform it into something more creative.
Do you ever wake up and remember interesting or vivid dreams? Perhaps you get ideas for your job, life issues, or things to do late at night as you try to fall asleep. This always happens to me but I was too lazy to write them down and I really should!
I recommend getting a diary or journal and writing down notes of every interesting or creative idea throughout the day and night.
Try something new
Put your creative ideas into practice to encourage creativity. Try something new if you write or paint. It can be as simple as taking a different route to work in order to determine if it is faster. This is how to get your mind thinking outside of its normal patterns.
Thought patterns can really influence us in a negative way. If we limit the thought patterns our mind goes through, we stop thinking creatively.
Robyn Conley Downs talks about thought patterns and how to cultivate a state of wellness by changing how you think in her amazing book The Feel Good Effect. She explains the power of habits and how to change them to enrich your life in many ways.
Simply changing your environment can inspire creativity. Go hiking up a mountain together if you want to bring more creativity into your relationship. Sitting on a roof is a great way to write if you are a writer. You can get new ideas for your business by taking a notebook with you to the park. Changes in the environment can help your brain get out of its ruts.
Creativity training
Develop creative habits of mind if you want to significantly increase your creativity. You can see it in a comedian's ability to find the "different angle" for everyday situations. Your mind can be trained to see the "different angle" on everyday things.
For example, challenge assumptions until they become a habit. Are you looking for ways to bring customers into your store or business? Ask yourself if you really need more customers.
This question can lead to other creative solutions such as ways to make more from existing customers or to reduce expenses. These could lead to more lucrative ideas. To increase your creativity, challenge assumptions.
The same goes for blogging - what do you want to achieve with your blog? Think of 3 different methods of reaching a goal and it forces you to come up with more creative or "new" methods.
While driving to work, pick anything that isn't obvious and see if it might be related to the problem you are trying to solve. Look at the environment around you. Something as banal as seeing a color combination on an advertisement can give you ideas for branding.
This technique, also known as "challenging assumptions” is a classic creative problem-solving method. There are many more. This is just one of the many ways you can increase your creativity.
Challenging assumptions
Challenging Assumptions is a sense-making technique that breaks down statements and reveals where assumptions might be limiting your choices.
If you want to challenge assumptions, you begin by questioning the everyday things you know and take for granted without realizing it.
The way that you frame your problem already contains assumptions which, in turn, prevent you from thinking clearly and also prevent you from solving it.
What blocks your creativity?
Before I get into the details of how to increase creativity, let me first point out the real obstacles that people have. Have a look at your life to see if any of these are relevant to you.
1. You lack time. This isn't as important as you might think. It takes only seconds to link thoughts and ideas. It is possible to do it anywhere, anytime. As long as you're in a healthy state, and paying attention to your experience, it can happen.
Creativity is, in my view, more about how you spend your time and how open you are to learning from others. This takes time.
2. Fear of being judged. Individuals were afraid to express their ideas when I was working for a national newspaper. Creativity can lead to unusual ideas, or even be different. These ideas can be viewed as challenging, strange or unusual. Creativity is often killed by fear of being judged as strange, stupid, or different.
3. Low self-esteem. Creative activities push you beyond what is safe and familiar. This can be a challenge for yourself, and others. Being different can make you feel unsafe or vulnerable if you don't know what you think about yourself. You could lose your ability to see the world differently and just try to fit in. Get rid of all those chains and know that you are unique, powerful, and smart.
4. Fear of failure. This can hinder us. There is no "right" or wrong when you make a new brain connection. There are many ways to overcome this type of fear. I recommend reading about the psychology behind this fear and then implementing techniques from books like The Fear of Failure: How To Become An Action Taker, Stop Worrying, Overcome Procrastination and Perfectionism.
Creativity does not have to be reserved for geniuses. To be creative, you don't need to have special knowledge. Your creativity can manifest in many different ways. In fact, I expect that. Painting abstract art can be creative, so can putting together a puzzle, or writing a short haiku poem.
You can be doubtful of your creativity if you need to. Every night, you create a new dream that you write, act in, and then watch. These dreams involve all your senses, and have lasting effects. It is so effortless that most people don’t recognize it.
How to be more creative
So how do you get more creative? Here are some suggestions.
1. Find the right mindset.
Find out what creative states you associate with. Find out what triggers and sustains creativity. What is your favorite time of the day? What is the best environment? Are you looking for a place where you can be yourself, or are there others around? Are you more comfortable with silence, background or loud sounds? Create a profile about your creativity and then schedule time for it.
2. Cultivate dreaming.
Instead of dismissing day-dreams or dreams, pay more attention to how you live your life. You don't have to ignore what you might already be discovering.
3. Keep asking questions.
Ask yourself, "What if?" and what else? and "How else?" Never stop thinking about the possibilities. Always think beyond your first thought and explore other ideas.
4. Problem-solving.
If you run into a problem, pretend that your normal solution is not possible. You can do this in many ways. How else can you get your work done if your computer crashes? What if you decided to write down your feelings instead of arguing face-to-face? While some solutions might not be as good as the ones you are used to, others could offer you new and better options. Try something new.
5. Find new ways to do what you know.
You can change the order of things, do different things, or use your less favorite hand. When we interrupt our routines, we go from being on autopilot to alert and alive. Your brain is able to make new connections by exercising unfamiliar brain connections. It's a wonderful feeling!
The difference that makes a difference is what you should be looking for. If you see something that you find unusual or different, think about what makes it so special. What is the real key to difference?
Disney Creativity Strategy (Disney method)
The Disney creativity strategy helps you to realize your dreams and give them the best chance of becoming a reality. The strategy is, of course, named after Walt Disney. He often played three roles in his team's development of an idea: the dreamer and the realist, as well as the critic.
Robert Dilts created the Disney Method in 1994. It is a complex creativity strategy that a group uses in which each member uses four distinct thinking styles. This involves using parallel thinking to analyze a problem, generate new ideas, evaluate them, and then create and critique an action plan.
This strategy seperates these three crucial roles in the process of transforming creative ideas into reality. They can all be explored separately to maximize clarity and effect.
There are many companies that have experts in all three areas. All three roles can be played by you. Of course, you can choose the role that suits your needs, goals, and desires.
It is best to assign three roles (dreamer, critic, and realist) to help you assess plans or tasks. Ask someone to play the dreamer, and show you the possibilities. Ask another person to look at the idea and help you evaluate its strengths and limitations (realist).
Rotating the roles may be an option. You may want to rotate the roles if you do it alone. Make sure to keep them separate and make sure you write them down.
Each stage can be treated as an individual stage. Start by brainstorming and be creative, then think about practical ways of achieving the goals. Then think critically and evaluate the options.
It's important to have fun with creativity and try new things in order to create more creativity. It's a wonderful feeling. If you find that you have not been able to achieve your goals or are not getting the results you want, you might consider being more creative with what and how you do it.
Takeaway: changing your habits of mind is the key
A well-organized approach can lead to creativity and spontaneity. You can also train yourself to think more creatively. Start cultivating positive habits in your brain. Start training your brain with these simple techniques today.
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