What is creativity?
“Think outside the box”, “Innovate”, “Invent”- how many times have you heard these words? Do they make sense to you? All of them are aspects of creativity. A very crucial part of creativity is the creation of something new- a piece of art, music or poem. Even an idea such as a business concept or a new thought is an outcome of creativity. In other words, one can be very creative but if the creativity does not lead to an outcome, it becomes futile.
One of the greatest thinkers and psychologists- Edward De Bono performed extensive research in the area of creativity. His most important contribution is that he coined the term “Lateral Thinking”. Lateral thinking essentially comprises looking at something in many ways and breaking set patterns of thinking. Although it sounds simple, it is difficult to apply as we are conditioned to think in a set manner. For example- From childhood we have been taught that the sky is blue and leaves are green. A child who is creative will try to break this pattern of thinking and try to think of new ways to represent the sky and leaves.
Why is creativity important?
Creativity is a way of thinking that permeates all aspects of life. Whether it is taking important decisions in life or problem solving- everything involves a bit of creativity. In other words, creative thinkers reach solutions faster, can see the same thing in different ways and are better able to cope with stress.
Moreover, today there are many streams such as the fine arts, media, advertising, television and movies that require creativity as one of the basic traits to be successful.
How to sharpen creativity?
There are many exercises and mind games which help you sharpen your creative quotient. You may even find several apps on your mobile that include games. They mostly revolve around creative problem solving and finding patterns.
However, creativity is not a one-time effort. In order to imbibe creativity in your thought process, you need to work on it continuously, at all times. –
Here’s how you can achieve it-
- Think critically- One of the basic aims of education is to allow you to think critically. You will need to question things. Question and critically analyse things you hear, see, observe and feel. It is not about judging right or wrong. It means seeing things from many angles.
- Empathise- Empathy is the ability to feel what another person must be feeling and to express that feeling. This involves a great deal of creativity.
- Meet different people- When you meet people- from different backgrounds, from different cultures or different strata of the society, you become open to more ideas and concepts. Hence, it is said that travelling opens up the mind.
- Record your thoughts – Writing your thoughts or recording them by speaking help you question your own patterns of thinking. It helps you go back to your journal and see how you have evolved over time.
- Learn a new art- Learning a new form of art helps the neurons in your brain form different connections. It also helps you express yourself and showcase your thoughts to others. It gives form to your creative thoughts. For example- You may have unique thoughts about an ongoing social issue but the world will not know about it unless you write something about it or express it through a song or a painting.
The youth is constantly brimming with new thoughts and they need an outlet to express themselves. St. Mary’s High School, Kalyan gives many such platforms to its students to express themselves through debates, competitions and by teaching them different forms of art. This is how creativity leads to expression and a release of great ideas.