Connecting the dots
If you read all the way are here, congrats! This is our 5th and final article on creativity.
We have discussed several topics related to boosting our creativity and relearning how to express it. Now the main question is — how does everything connect?
This article will wrap up everything and clarify things. If you have not read the previous 4 articles, you can check them out starting from here.
What we learned so far
On the 1st article we learned about the 4 steps of the creative process. They will be crucial for us to understand how the blockages are applied during our creative process.
Input represents our repertoire of ideas and experiences. Combination is where the magic happens and we combine ideas. Output is where we expose ideas. Feedback is what closes the loop, refining ideas.
Following the creative process, on the 2nd article we discussed the Creative Myths, and a few misconceptions on this subject.
The 3rd article talked about the creative blockages, that are developed during our educational period:
- The right answer blockage: This blockage is about possibilities. Do not accept the first obvious answer. Every problem has multiple solutions.
- The success blockage: Here we saw that failure is good, and it is part of the learning process. The obsession around success, will not help us evolve.
- The pleasure blockage: About finding purpose, doing things that put us in the flow, cause it will make all the difference.
The 4th article discussed the blockages that are predominantly developed and enhanced during our work life:
- The specialist blockage: Related to Curiosity. We become so specialized on what we do that we neglect generalized knowledge, blocking us from growing our repertoire.
- The adult blockage: Reconnecting with our inner child. We don't need to be that serious, we should try new things and be open to ideas.
- The I am busy blockage: Associated with time management. We need a mix of ample time to combine ideas, but a bit of pressure to execute them.
How everything connects
We learned that creativity is an innate ability that needs to developed through study and practice, that is used to solve problems by combining ideas, following the steps of the creative process.
Now we know that creativity has a process — which means it can be reproduced by anyone — and we can map each blockage to a step in this process. By doing so, we can know what is restraining each step.
The Input step has to do with the specialist blockage. We need to open ourselves to Curiosity. Curiosity is the engine that will increase the influx of ideas into our repertoire.
Output has to do with Courage and the success blockage. We need to be brave so we can express our ideas, and if they fail, we can embrace failure as part of the learning process.
Combination can be mapped to 3 different blockages. The template blockage teaches us to be open to possibilities, the adult blockage helps us connect with our inner child accepting innovative ideas, and the I am busy blockage will allow us to free up time to create. If I had to sum up this step in a single word it would be Imagination.
Lastly, the feedback step! We could also call it the mastering step, the process to refine ideas. The pleasure blockage connects here, because there is no true mastering without Passion. To be willing to really refine something — which takes time and consistent effort — we need to enjoy the process. There is no mastering without Passion. We can still do it without, but we won't put out our best possible work.
Curiosity to grow our repertoire, imagination to shock and mix this repertoire, courage to test our hypothesis, and passion to keep the loop running.
Unblocking your creativity
I am fully aware that being more creative is no easy task. I've studied this subject — which allowed to write about it — a few years ago, and I've been trying to put these ideas into practice ever since.
It takes practice and some level of awareness, but like anything in life with consistency, time and discipline it can be achieved. If you make those into a habit, it is a matter of time to internalize it.
Be open to possibilities, have the courage to make decisions despite the chance to fail, keep learning about yourself so you can find things you enjoy, be curious, and manage your time properly. This is the creative recipe!
I hope you enjoyed this series! See you in next article about — I am not sure, who knows what I might right about? See ya!
