Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes. Art
is knowing which ones to keep
- Scott Adams
Creativity has often been attributed with being one of the defining qualities of an entrepreneur, in part because the essence of entrepreneurship is creating a new business, be it a new idea or a new market for an existing idea. Many aspiring entrepreneurs are seeking that elusive creative idea that fits for them. One of the hallmarks of a successful business venture is that the business is something that the entrepreneur loves and that fills their creative needs. When the going gets tough, as it does in every venture, it is that love that carries you through. Does this mean that entrepreneurs have some essential creative quality that sets them apart? Is this like an artistic talent?
Successful entrepreneurs do seem to have an ability to see opportunity and seize it that seems to be intuitive, but time and time again we can cite counter examples of persistence and determination, noncreative skills, paying off in the success of business ventures so intuition is not the sum total of being an running a business. What does seem to be essential is the ability to open your mind to new ideas and ways of doing things - and that is a talent that can be developed. Whether you are looking for that initial idea for your business or finding new ways to survive in a changing economic environment, honing your creativity can be a valuable asset for any enterprise.
It slipped my mind that I could use my brain.
- Evan Dando
Resources on developing creativity abound. The challenge is separating the totally off-the-wall from the useful. Certainly, some of the leaders in this field are Dr. Edward de Bono, creator of lateral thinking and author of Six Thinking Hats, Michael Michalko, creator of Thinkertoys, and Julia Cameron, author of The Artists's Way. Each of these experts has a different approach, de Bono with role-playing, Michalko with exploring thought processes of some of the great creative geniuses of the world, and Cameron with her inspiring journaling techniques; but each helps you expand your universe of possibilities to see alternatives that had not seemed evident - and that is what inspires creativity. Each of their books give a wealth of ways to find your own sense of creativity.
Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone
else does and thinking something different.
- Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Additionally, there are an incredible array of tools for expanding your idea base available. One of the oldest, mind mapping has become almost a staple in creative writing courses, but its principles are simple to use and applicable in many situations. With a mind map, one takes a central idea that you want to develop, perhaps a skill you have that you want to develop a business around. Working quickly, using what comes to mind immediately, branch from that with five to 10 main ideas that relate to that word for you. Then do it again with each of the words you have just added. The idea is to write whatever comes to mind immediately, not taking time to weigh the pros and cons. This way you are not rejecting ideas early on in the process. The map produced gives a new perspective on linking that perhaps is not evident when thinking about the idea alone.
If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.
- George S. Patton, Jr.
Whichever method you choose, let yourself have fun with it. That is really the essence and addiction of creativity - the fun and mental stimulation it provides. Enjoy - and in the process perhaps the right path for your business venture will appear.
