Creativity. The thinking process. Where ideas come from. These are things that fascinate me. I’m naturally drawn to articles, books, websites, speeches, and conversations that touch on the concept of creative thinking. I find it amazing how many people start off with a statement like, “I’m not very creative.” You know what? They’re right!
The biggest measurable difference between creative people and non-creative people is whether they define themselves as creative or not. That observation often takes me on the quantum physics tangent and discussions of Schrodinger’s cat. I’ll save that tangent for another time. My (admittedly short) attention is on creative thinking right now. It has been sneaking into my world from all sides lately.
Back in the late 80s, I put together a workshop on creativity and presented it to my work group. It went over well enough that I was asked to present it to a few other groups over the course of the next year. It was some of the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done. People started believing they were more creative, and then, they started being more creative. I felt like an evangelist doing revival meetings. What I learned from that is the secret to teaching: Help people realize what they already know.
Many people believe that creativity is some kind of special power, akin to magic. Really it’s nothing more than seeing ordinary things in different, extraordinary ways. Once you get past everything else about it, that’s all there is. The essence of creativity. It’s not scary when you use that definition.
More to come….
Damon's Thoughts and Oughts 
Like your post. Enjoy thinking about thinking. I believe that creativity is what you say, “seeing ordinary things is a different way.” Making connections and relationships. I also think that creativity needs to have an IMPLEMENTATION component – without it, it’s just a good idea. Whaddyathink?
Lovely post! I agree that creativity is something natural that we need to rediscover.
I am interested in your remark that the best indicator for creativity is whether people see themselves as creative.
I wonder if you would consider writing about that or anything else as a comment to my post called
‘What Makes us Creative?’
http://goodlifezen.com/2007/11/24/what-makes-us-creative/
I would be delighted if you would share your experience of being creative and teaching creativity.
cheers
Mary Jaksch