- How to Become More Creative - ecahal
Some believe that all people are born with a creative streak – just watch little children playing or drawing. Their creativity is unlimited, which is why they can create entire make-believe worlds out of almost nothing. But what happens to all that creativity as people mature? Does creativity simply vanish on its own volition? If this is the case, how does one explain people who remain creative up until the moment they draw their last breath?
The Creative Personality Defined
Creativity researcher Frank Barron says, “The creative person is more primitive and more cultured, more destructive and more constructive, crazier and saner, than the average person” (Harman & Rheingold, 1984).
In other words, a creative person is paradoxical. He or she is also eclectic, quixotic, and mercurial, making it as difficult to pigeonhole and, thus, it's as difficult to define the creative personality as it is to define abstracts like the concept of truth.
Traits of the Creative Personality
Harman and Rheingold argue that one of the traits of a creative personality is the ability to toy with elements and concepts.
For example, creative individuals can look at colors and shapes, as well as relationships, ideas, and problems, and then wonder, "What if I look at this from a different angle? What if I try this new method instead of doing it the way it's always been done?" And from this spontaneous toying and exploration, creative individuals find new and innovative ways to make something, to accomplish a task, to solve a problem, to express an idea, or to adapt to a situation. (Harman & Rheingold, 1984)
So what does this all mean? It would seem that it's impossible to define exactly what constitutes creativity or exactly what makes one person more creative than another, although researchers have tried to do so for years and will probably continue to search for answers for years to come.
Learning To Be More Creative
The ability to imagine and, therefore, create mental images of things and situations that are different from ordinary reality has long been recognized as the major trait of a creative mind, for it seems that highly creative people are more adept at seeing images in their mind's eye.
It has been demonstrated, however, based upon cognitive research, that people for whom visualization does not come easily can take measures to strengthen their mind's ability to see images (in some ways, strengthening the imagination) by making a concerted effort and participating in creativity-enhancing exercises. In other words, people can learn to be more creative.
For example, Elmer and Alyce Green of the Menninger Foundation studied the psychophysiology of consciousness and creativity for years and, in the process, discovered that creative or imagistic modes of thought are related to the brain state associated with theta rhythm. Theta rhythm is the brain wave pattern that occurs in the hypnagogic state right before a person falls asleep.
Subsequently, the Greens made two conclusions:
- The brains of highly creative people are more adapt at achieving the brain wave pattern associated with theta rhythm, even when awake.
- Through the use of biofeedback, one can literally "train" people to achieve this theta state of consciousness and achieve heightened creativity. (Harman & Rheingold, 1984)
Overcoming Obstacles to Creativity
Dr. John Chaffee (2002) argues that the biggest threat to creativity lies within people themselves, and this threat is the “negative voice of judgment,” a term coined by Michael Ray and Rochelle Myers, authors of Creativity in Business, a book based upon a course at Stanford University.
As Chaffee says, this voice can undermine people’s confidence in every area of their lives, including creative pastimes. For example, if someone is writing a story, the negative voice may whisper in that person’s ear, “This is a really dumb idea for a story. You call yourself a writer? Besides, even if it’s a good story, no one will want to publish it, so why waste your time?”
The problem is that such statements have the effect of making people doubt the quality of their creative abilities. As a result, they become increasingly timid and hesitant even to try to express themselves creatively; and, after a while, they become so insecure they conform to established ways of thinking, as well as the expectations of others. When this occurs, they have surrendered an important part of themselves, and that is the “vital and dynamic core” of their personalities better known as their creativity (Chaffee, 2002).
So in order to become more creative, a person must open his mind to the possibility of breakthrough insights and stop doubting the ability to create. In other words, one must regain contact with the little child who still dwells inside of them and has never lost the ability to create entire make-believe worlds out of almost nothing.
Readers who enjoyed this article might also enjoy reading "The Five Major Theories of Creativity."
References:
- Chaffee, John (2002) Critical Thinking, Thoughtful Writing; Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
- Harman, Willis, and Rheingold, Harold (1984) Higher Creativity: Liberating the Unconscious for Breakthrough Insights; New York: St. Martin's Press.
Carol Rzadkiewicz - Carol Rzadkiewicz has taught college English for over 14 years and is the author of three published novels and numerous short stories.
