Increasingly I am asked to speak to audiences, mainly business people but sometimes a wider population, about some of the subjects covered in my books. In particular, people seem interested to hear about creativity.
I think there is a belief that creativity is somewhat magical and difficult to do and therefore any clues as to how to be more creative are valued.
However, I believe that firstly, creativity is not magical and is, in fact a rather practical skill which can be learnt (and which most people already do with some considerable ability without even realising it) and secondly, that creativity is not difficult but simple and rather obvious.
You might say "Well, you would say that wouldn't you because you are creative and therefore it does seem obvious and simple to you".
But whenever I speak to audiences who, granted, are self selecting because they have chosen to go to a talk about creativity but who, also, are at the talk because they believe they can learn more about the subject, I discover there is a huge amount of creativity in the room.
Some find it easier to originate ideas in the moment. Others will generate their ideas in the days that follow the talk but very few leave feeling that they couldn't get anything from the presentation.
The key is to see creativity, not as something to do with inspiration but as to do with problem solving. And the first step, therefore, is finding problems to solve. Most of us are very good at that! We see what is wrong much more easily than we see what is right. Tomorrow, why don't you start by seeing how much you can find which could be better. The solutions may not come to you immediately but the brain will be working on it while you sleep, eat and watch Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two (or is that just me?).
I would love to know what you come up with!
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