Things you don't learn in school- What is creative thinking?

Image source

Many people believe that they are born without an inch of creativity.  They dream of becoming artists but they believe that they just don’t have the talent. Creativity is mostly associated with artists, and whether it is creating a painting or writing a novel/music does not matter. The fact that most people do not understand is that everyone and anyone can be creative.   

Creativity is simply being able to come up with something new. It is the ability to consider anything in a new way, whether it is a work situation where you have to think creatively to resolve an issue, or where you offer ideas for easier work solutions.  

If you are a creative thinker and see yourself as an asset to a business because of your creativity, make sure to indicate this on your application.  Employers will most likely look at your CV more closely when they see this. They want creative people to work because they don’t have to look after them all the time. 

What exactly is creative thinking?

 

Creative thinking is “thinking outside the box” Outside the box thinking means that you are able to use creative ways to solve a problem where the solution is not obvious.  Kind of like an investigator finding clues to a crime that is not obvious to other people. 

A creative person can find new ways to carry out tasks effectively.  They come up with fresh new ideas that is not the norm, and add value by giving supporting ideas to improve the normal functioning of a business.  These people are very valuable for any company.  

Can you teach yourself to be more creative?

For sure you can teach yourself to think more creatively. You can develop your thinking skills by solving riddles and through play. You can also make friends with creative people and even ask to job shadow them for a few days to see how they operate. 

Here are a few tips that could help you become more creative:

• Talk to your fellow students and co-workers. If you treat them as normal people then they will be more open to talk to you which would ultimately improve your working conditions.  
• Just for fun, have a brainstorming session and work together to find solutions to real-world issues. Take a general problem that is not work related and find as many solutions as possible.  
• Be willing to fail again and again.  If the first solution didn’t work, keep going until the issue is resolved.  In time you will learn from your mistakes and know what to avoid in future.  
• Communicate more.  You can’t sit in a corner waiting to gain more experience without actually doing something.  Have meaningful conversations with other people and learn from them. 
• Be willing to learn new things all the time. 
• Gain experience.  The more experience you have the more creative you will become. 

The bottom line is that creative thinking and problem solving skills are sought after by employers.  It is the top skill to have and the harder you work the more creative you will become.