It’s that time of week again: Thursday. Which means it must be time for Thursday Tips. This week this blog has been focused on creativity. Today’s tips will be no different.
How to develop your creativity?
Firstly before we work on how to develop your creativity, you need to understand creativity. What the word, the concept and the action of creativity actually are.
creativity |ˌkrē-āˈtivitē|
the use of the imagination or original ideas, esp. in the production of an artistic work.
imagination |iˌmajəˈnā sh ən|
noun
the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses : she’d never been blessed with a vivid imagination.• the ability of the mind to be creative or resourceful : technology gives workers the chance to use their imagination.• the part of the mind that imagines things : a girl who existed only in my imagination.ORIGIN Middle English : via Old French from Latin imaginatio(n-), from the verb imaginari ‘picture to oneself,’ from imago, imagin- ‘image.’
idea |īˈdēə|
noun
1 a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action : they don’t think it’s a very good idea.• a concept or mental impression : our menu list will give you some idea of how interesting a low-fat diet can be.• an opinion or belief : nineteenth-century ideas about drinking.• a feeling that something is probable or possible : he had an idea that she must feel the same.
2 ( the idea) the aim or purpose : I took a job with the idea of getting some money together.
3 Philosophy (in Platonic thought) an eternally existing pattern of which individual things in any class are imperfect copies.• (in Kantian thought) a concept of pure reason, not empirically based in experience.
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create |krēˈāt|
verb
[ trans. ]bring (something) into existence : he created a thirty-acre lake | over 170 jobs were created.• cause (something) to happen as a result of one’s actions : divorce only created problems for children.• (of an actor) originate (a role) by playing a character for the first time.• invest (someone) with a new rank or title : he was created a baronet.
ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense [form out of nothing,] used of a divine or supernatural being): from Latin creat- ‘produced,’ from the verb creare.
imagine |iˈmajən|
verb
[ trans. ]1 form a mental image or concept of : imagine a road trip from Philadelphia to Chicago | [with clause ] I couldn’t imagine what she expected to tell them.• [often as adj. ] ( imagined) believe (something unreal or untrue) to exist or be so : they suffered from ill health, real or imagined, throughout their lives.
2 [with clause ] suppose or assume : after Ned died, everyone imagined that Mabel would move away.• [as exclam. ] just suppose : imagine! to outwit Heydrich!DERIVATIVESimaginer |1ˈmødʒənər| nounORIGIN Middle English : from Old French imaginer, from Latin imaginare ‘form an image of, represent’ and imaginari ‘picture to oneself,’ both from imago, imagin- ‘image.’
Above are 3 nouns that make up the definition of creativity. These define what creativity means. It is the innate ability of the human brain. Creativity is what separates us from the other mammals. We have the unique ability to create, imagine and think. Our ideas make us creative. Our creativity is fostered by our imagination.
For me though I disagree with the one of the above definitions. Creativity is grammatically speaking a noun. However for Creativity to be fostered an action is needed: The action of creating and imagining.
For creativity to be successful, it needs to be a verb. I know that I may be throwing a spanner in the grammatical works and right now my inner editor is attempting to bite her tongue but I am sticking to my guns on this one.
Creativity must be a verb. It is an action word. What is more active than the art of creating something. For me creativity is also the opposite of destruction. Creativity is a tool we are able to use to fuel emotion. Through creativity you can make someone feel something or see something using the tool of your imagination. Creativity is a gift.
This brings me to Imagination. Imagination derives from an old french word: Imaginer.
Imaginer Meaning and Definition from Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
- Imaginer Im*ag”in*er, n. One who forms ideas or conceptions; one who contrives. –Bacon.
What a stunning concept! What a creative concept! What better calling than to be an Imaginer?
So today’s Thursday tips are:
- Become an Imaginer.
- Use your mind as a fountain for ideas.
- Let no idea escape: Keep a journal just for ideas. No matter how random an idea may seem, do not throw away the seed. Write it down and see what germinates. you may be surprised.
- Nurture your curiosity: This will fuel even more ideas.
- Nurture your right-brain thinking.
- Exercise your most important muscle: Your brain.
- Think outside the square: Stretch your horizons of what is possible. This is called imagination. If it has not been done, imagine how it could be done.
- Learn at least 1 new creative or artistic skill every week.
- Teach someone at least 1 new creative or artistic skill every month.
- Most important make Creativity an Action in your daily life.
May you have a creatively rich week.
© All Rights Reserved Kim Koning.
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Kim Koning 
Good, Solid Tips 🙂
It’s especially good that you included the idea of teaching a creative technique to others. I know, in my experience, that, when I’ve taught something, I’ve learned much more about it…
Thanks Alexander! Yes, I find teaching someone a skill up-skills your own proficiency.