Are You Creative?

Do you think “out of the box”?

Do you want to be creative?

Or do you wish you had more creativity?

If you’re a designer, artist, entrepreneur or musician, you likely answered yes to the first question “Are you creative?”. However, most professionals answer no resigning themselves to the fact that they are not creative or more accurately, consider themselves not creative; proceeding with business in the traditional sense. Day in and day out. “If it aint broke, don’t fix it.” –Not that there’s anything wrong with that. However, it can be noted, that creativity, when channeled properly, helps grow business. It sparks new ideas on how to improve efficiencies, processes and/or satisfy customer needs. Creativity can lead to increased profitability and revolutionary ways of doing business or creating new business. Therefore, being creative can impact your business tremendously… for the better.

The correct answer to the question “Are you creative?” is Yes. You are creative. I am creative. We are all creative. We are born with creativity and a capacity for being creative—no matter how much we exhibit it, or decide not to, today. To verify this, simply observe a toddler playing for 30 minutes. You’ll notice an acute sense and execution of imagination, originality, interpretation and/or perception. That’s creativity! For some professionals, creativity has been suppressed. For others, it is just hiding, possibly due to years of structured, rote learning. And, for those who practice it often, creativity acts as the foundational platform for their career, existence and self actualization.

What is creativity?

Dictionary.com defines creativity as:

~the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination: the need for creativity in modern industry; creativity in the performing arts.

It’s interesting to note that creativity, as defined above includes transcending relationships. There are the words progressiveness and originality—familiar words to business owners, entrepreneurs, sales people and professionals. Creativity is not reckless abandon, foolishness and/or wild and crazy. It is thinking differently or, as mentioned earlier, “out of the box.”

Sparking creativity

The problem for most professionals is not having enough time to practice or spark creativity. Business professionals, owners and entrepreneurs are doers, movers and shakers. Business is dependent on them to get it done and do it right the first time. Thinking or acting differently could cost valuable time, resources and or money, in the process. Finding time for creativity requires commitment. And, you and your business are worth it.

In case you haven’t sparked your creativity in a while or need a quick boost, check out the following suggestions:

1. Listen to inspiring music.
2. Brainstorm with creative people. Collaboration can be inspiring.
3. Write ideas down. Carry a notebook and a pen everywhere and write your ideas down. Most of them will not be usable however, the few that are, will likely astound you.
4. Escape your environment. Go for a walk.
5. Exercise your brain. Read as much as you can about things that are different. Talk to clever people. Challenge each other productively.
6. Do not drink to excess or do drugs to be creative.
7. Draw something. Anything. And, the first thing that comes to your mind. Add detail. Admire your creation. Why did you draw it? What are you proud of?
8. Think of a problem or customer need within your business. Write it down. Come up with three solutions with no limits based on money, resources or anything else.
9. Play a musical instrument and improvise. They say music makes you smarter. Improvisation makes you more creative. Even if it’s dissonant sounding, you can always call it jazz.
10. Observe your surroundings. Soak in the moment. Relax. Meditate. Allow creativity to take over.

It’s clear that some leaders and visionaries used creativity to excel in business and take their companies to new heights. Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, Richard Branson are a few that come immediately to mind. Consider using creativity for your own business. Embrace it. Enjoy it. And, be prepared to excel.

Sources:

1. “Rice, Nick, The Role of Creativity in Business,” Small Business Branding, August 12, 2006
2. Baumgartner, Jeffrey, “10 Steps for Boosting Creativity”

About the Author

Angelo Biasi is General Manager of SMART Marketing Solutions, LLC, a leading full-service integrated marketing company in Florida and New York since 2001. He has helped create and execute marketing plans and integrated marketing solutions for companies such as Playtex, Bic, Rogaine, Tauck, and over 35 colleges and universities, to name a few. Angelo has an MBA in Marketing from the University of Connecticut and teaches Marketing at New York University where he has for over six years. He has been quoted and/or featured in USA Today, Mobile Marketer magazine, Mobile Commerce Daily, Luxury Marketing magazine, BNET TV and Business Currents magazine, to name a few. For more information or to learn more, email him at abiasismartmarketingllccom  (abiasismartmarketingllccom)  , visit www.smartmarketingllc.com, call him at 239.963.9396 and follow him on Twitter @angbiasi.