4. Be open to new ideas and the power of change. This is the subject of my book “Jolt – Get the Jump on a World That’s Constantly Changing.” People will change more readily when you can help people see the value in your ideas. Teach them the effort will be worth it, and help them understand what’s on the other side.
5. Be different. Drive home a different way. Eat different food. Read different books. Hang out with different people. Expose yourself to different things. Get out of the rut.
6. Write Things Down. How often have you had a great idea but, within 30 seconds, forgot about it? What life-changing idea could you have that you’ll forget if you don’t jot it down? That’s the reason I created my “Unique Planner for Creative Professionals.”
7. Know when to collaborate. Genius starts with individuals, but execution often takes a team. Get comfortable working with and leading other creative people.
8. Stop being embarrassed about thinking big. Indulge in fantasy. Look beyond what you think is realistic. Leonardo Da Vinci created designs for flying machines, ideal cities, plans for diverting rivers – things he couldn’t possibly do in his lifetime, but they fired up his imagination. Check out his notebooks.
9. Start thinking of yourself as a creative professional. You may not have published a book, but if you’re writing, you’re a writer. You may not have sold your portfolio, but if you’re designing, you’re a designer. Your mind has to be ready before you see the physical manifestation.
10. Be open to mystery. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest problems with the polarization in our culture today. We only follow social media feeds we like, read newspapers, or watch TV news that confirms our thinking, and we hang out with friends who agree with us. We rarely mingle with people different from us, and when we do, we aren’t interested in their experience or perspective.
Open yourself up to the mysteries of life!
The article on how to jumpstart your creativity originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
