I remember watching and being completely memorized with Alice in Wonderland as a child. There is a really significant line that struck a chord with me. The Queen says, “Why sometimes I’ve believed as many as 6 impossible things before breakfast” For the creative (and non-creative) people reading this, I’m sure you will agree, this has got to be creativity at its best!
One of the biggest challenges business owners face is staying cutting edge and creative. Being a business owner, it’s important that you ensure you keep creativity in your business … but how on earth do you make sure you can open your mind enough to get to the point where ideas just spill out?
Not only do you have to have good business sense, take risks, work hard, continually learn and learn to manage people, but you are telling me you have to be creative?!? If you have a sneaky feeling that creativity is not one of your strong points you may be wondering what you can do to stimulate your brain and get it kicked-started?
Be Unlimited
Too many people are ‘limited thinkers’. They have their world placed squarely in a box and nothing can exist outside of that. (And there is nothing wrong with that… if you want to live in a box!) If the newspaper reports something then it must be right. If Joe next door says that something is impossible then he must be right. As a business owner, you cannot afford to be a ‘limited thinker’. You have to be an ‘unlimited thinker’. Get into the habit of seeing no boundaries; decide that there are no limits and if you can think it, you can do it! Have the belief that with a bit of focus you can find a creative solution to all of your problems. This is the foundation for a creative thought process.
Be Future-Focused
A lot of business owners get in the habit of continually looking at past performance as a way of measuring success. This is an important part of business, but it sometimes can hinder the creative future growth. Creative ideas invariably come when you ‘look’ into the future. The feeling of propelling yourself forward and seeing the problem solved is a great motivator. Do you think you could achieve the same result if you were backward focused? I don’t think so! Train yourself to be future-focused, always looking ahead, not a traditional thinker who tries to find answers in today’s world.
Be a Writer
Once you open your mind to the benefits of creativity, the ideas will quickly start flowing, as if someone has opened the flood gates! I never realized this till I started my first blog. I never thought I could be a writer, or at least not a good one. I just started writing and writing and the ideas kept coming. Just like flood water, unless you catch it the ideas are lost forever. Capture all your ideas by carrying a small pocket notebook with you. You can pick up some note books for next to nothing, this small investment will pay off big time, if you use it. If you get an idea, write it down, no matter the time or day. Some of my best creative work was in the middle of my sleep. It doesn’t matter how over the top it is, you can look at it in the cold light of day later on.
The fact you are responding to the ideas by noting them will further encourage you to be even more creative – good deeds encourage more good deeds! Plus it’s kind of fun to look back later on and see what you had on your mind.
Be Clutter-Free
I will be honest; this is one I have struggled with my whole life. But I have learned when things are disorganized in my day to day life; my mind is usually just as disorganized. If you are naturally an untidy person, then get out of the habit! A cluttered office will lead to a cluttered mind. You cannot expect your brain to work efficiently when all its doing is constantly reminding you how untidy your office is. Start small, de-clutter the area you do most of your thinking and see how it works!
Be Action-Oriented
All of these points are great, but if you don’t take any action with your ideas, then you may as well not have bothered. I can’t remember where I heard the saying but it proves true in this case… “An idea is just an idea unless you act on it”.
I would periodically review your notes and see if there are any hidden gems, or ideas which can be quickly acted on. A lot of your ideas may not be suitable in every case, but in there somewhere is probably an idea, which if acted upon, could change you or your business. Commit fully to move forward on as many of your ideas as you can. I heard Dean Jackson once say something like “Do the ideas that are good ideas now. Don’t worry, if they are good ideas in a year from now, they will still be good ideas in a year”.
Don’t be afraid to break down the boundary walls. As John Stuart Mill said, “That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in the next.”
Let me close with one question – can you be creative enough to be dismissed as a dreamer? No? Then get practicing!
To you and your success,
Ryan Smith -Chief Content Creator