1. What is CREATIVITY?

Creativity is the essence that sparks an idea above the rest, it’s the sudden realization, the “aha” moment when you discover you’ve unearthed something of worth from the depths of your imagination.

Being creative is something a little less romantic. It’s about grinding the axe, and pushing an idea way beyond your expectations. And when I say “push” I mean throw it as far as you can. And when I say beyond, think intergalactic.
 

2. What is important to consider when being CREATIVE?

Typically a lot of things fall into these categories;

• Good but not different
• Different but not good
• Not good and not different

Creativity is about finding something that is good AND different.
Then once you have found that, ask yourself how you can make it less complicated. Simplicity means less confusion.
 

3. How can you make your CREATIVITY more effective?

One of the keys to being creative is having a good idea.
One of the keys to having a good idea is having lots of ideas.

Get a pen and paper and start generating ideas. Just keep going. Pictures, words whatever, just squeeze the lemon for every drop its worth. Then grab the lemon, throw it in the blender and try get something more from it.

Then you have to cull back the ideas to unearth the gem. Be ruthless.
Now get some feedback. Share it with someone, you’ll find out pretty quick what is good or bad about it. Don’t take it as criticism - use it to strengthen your idea. Maybe even get them to help you brainstorm it.

Where do you find ideas though?
Find inspiration. Devour everything you see and hear, magazines, books, photos birdsongs, weather changes, conversations, grandma’s recipes, ask the bus driver, Start switching on and being aware of inspiration around you - you may find it where you least suspect it.

It’s not where you where you take ideas from, its where you take them to.
 

4. Why is it important to be CREATIVE?

Being creative is the foundation for change.
Infuse what you do with a little bit of creativity, and you never know - it might make the leap from being say a mere MP3 player to a cult icon like the ipod. Both essentially do the same thing, but one is infinitely more desirable. We have to think different and be different to push the boundaries.
 

5. Where is the best place to find your CREATIVITY?

First identify the problem and then isolate the question.
Now narrow your focus with some no nonsense questions...

What are you trying to achieve?
Who are you creating for?
Why are you creating it?
Where are you creating it for? e.g. Hawaii vs. antartica
When is this for?

Feeling stuck? Try changing your perspective.
What if the person was angry?
What if they were Donald duck?
What if they were blind?
What if the person was your dad?
 

6. Any additional comments on CREATIVITY?

Be as creative as you can, but make sure you execute it thoroughly.
Cull the bad ideas ruthlessly to find the good ones.
Get feedback.
Get feedback.
Explore different options.
Execute the idea - follow through with it.
There is nothing worse than a great idea with a half-baked execution.

If you don’t know the answer, find someone who does. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, plunder anyone you can for information. Everyone has a story to tell, find a way to get them to tell it.