Creativity Is More Practice Than Magic

As problem solvers our role is to support companies, clients, and customers by solving their business problems. We’re asked to help drive sales, increase traffic, and build community.

These challenges, and others, are solved through our ability to combine ideas in new and meaningful ways. That’s creativity.

Creativity is sparked by our imagination. Unfortunately, most of us have been conditioned to quell our imagination to pursue lives as “serious adult business professionals.” Deep inside, unheard and hidden lies that imaginative kid who used to ask, “Why not?”

The few “chose ones” that are creative are viewed with awe like a master magician… Their ability to pull a tagline out of a hat leaves us in ooo-ing and ahh-ing, with golf-claps of delight.

Creative? Me?! I can’t do that! *Gulp*

The good news?

That’s just your perception. A misperception.

That kid is still in there. We need to remember how to play. Moreover, creativity is a skill you learn – like cooking or riding a bike. The more you do it, the better you become.
And the magician?

They aren’t actually magic. They’re regular folks… like you and me. They’ve simply taken the time to learn things we haven’t… Like, how to stuff and hide a rabbit up a shirt sleeve.

Their “tricks” are simply a series of repeatable steps that, through lots of practice in front of a mirror, create an illusion.

Check out books and sites like Idea Sandbox for tips and techniques designed to wake up that kid inside you, re-kindle your imagination, and strengthen your creativity skills.

Before you know it you’ll be performing amazing feats of problem solving that will delight and amaze your boss, colleagues, friends, family – and most importantly – yourself.

After all, we don’t actually have quarters hidden behind our ears.

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Paul Williams is a professional problem solver at Idea Sandbox. He can help you create remarkable ideas to grow your business. You may read more at his website and find him Twittering as @IdeaSandbox.