Staying Creative

After work today, I picked up the June '08 copy of the Inc. Magazine, a special Innovation Issue. I picked it up hoping to find something interesting, helpful, and anything along those lines - and I DID! "9 Ways to Sharpen your creative edge." How do the Creative Stay Creative? There are so many times I can't find a single creative idea and settle for mediocre or I have an idea but don't go further with it. I think it's very helpful and I figured I share with you guys!

9 Ways to Sharpen your Creative Edge:

1. Get Multicultural - cultural melting pots produce inventive meals

2. Provide LOTS of FREE time to think - No mandate to solve a particular problem. Just blue-sky thinking - often under actual blue skies.

3. Encourage RISKY Behavior - celebrate endeavors both ambitious and disastrous.

4. Hire Smart - how applicants deal with criticism: whether they tear into a creative exchange or defend their first idea to the bitter end. ( from this I got - RISK-AVERSE THINKING).

5. Write it Down - Illustrations and captions people!

6. Bring in Outsiders - tap the perspective of outside experts - be they poets, actors, singers, physicists, whatever!

7. Be Flexible. Very Flexible - forget about any prescribed process, work anyway you like.

8. Do it for FREE - as Mark Twain once said, "work like you don't need the money." Enjoy applying your talents for noble causes.

9. Mix up your People - spend time working in disciplines (known as tribes) different from your own.

Peace,

dream.