Much of the thinking done in formal education focuses on the skills of analysis, teaching students how to understand claims, follow or create a logical argument, figure out the answer, eliminate the incorrect paths, and focus on the correct one. However, there is another kind of thinking, which focuses on exploring ideas, generating possibilities, looking for many right answers rather than just one. Both of these kinds of thinking, Critical and Creative thinking are important to a successful working life, yet the latter seems to get ignored.

In an activity like problem solving, both kinds of thinking are important to us. First, we must analyze the problem; then we must generate possible solutions; next we must choose and implement the best solution; and finally we must evaluate the effectiveness of the solution. As you can see, this process reveals an alternation between the two kinds of thinking. In practice, both kinds of thinking operate together much of the time and are not really independent of each other.

What is Creativity?

An ability. A simple definition is that creativity is the ability to imagine or invent something new. However, it’s not the ability to create out of nothing, but the ability to generate new ideas by combining, changing or reapplying existing ideas. Some ideas are astonishing and brilliant, while others are just simple and good practical ideas which no one seems to have thought of yet.

Believe it or not, everyone has substantial creative ability. Look at how creative children are. In adults, creativity has too often been suppressed through education, but it is still there and can be reawakened. Often all that’s needed to be creative is to make a commitment to creativity and to take the time for it.

An attitude. Creativity is also an attitude: the ability to accept change and newness, a willingness to play with ideas and possibilities, a flexibility of outlook, the habit of enjoying the good, while looking for ways to improve it. We are socialized into accepting only a small number of permitted or normal things, like chocolate-covered strawberries, for example. A creative person would realize that there are other possibilities.

A Process. Creative people work hard and continually to improve ideas and solutions, by making gradual alterations and refinements to their works. Contrary to the mythology surrounding creativity, very, very few works of creative excellence are produced with a single stroke of brilliance or in a frenzy of rapid activity. Much closer to the real truth are the stories of companies who had to take the invention away form the inventor in order to market it because the inventor would have kept on tweaking and fiddling with it, always trying to make it better.

A creative person knows that there’s always room for improvement and knows that there’s never only one answer for a given problem.

Source: http://www.icograda.org/web/feature-past-s...aram&op2.rf1=63

I saw an interesting seminar the other day that talkead about a connection of courage and anxiety. Like ... if you use one point of courage for one point of anxiety you get 1 point of self asteem

Point taken. All the creative people i know tend to be pretty courageous. That how they get people to see their products.

I've read some very negative reviews about this book so I never bought it myself. People say it's mostly a workbook and extremely repetative. It's one of the most known books of it's kind however so there must be some good in it.

I have read through the introductory sections and the week one session. I wrote 3 pages today and it was hard going as I was doing it at work and kept getting disturbed, but I didn't find it too difficult to find stuff to write into the 3 pages, just finding the time...I certainly would have problems doing it in the morning. I will see how it goes and if I find it too much I might try and do 2 pages a day.

I really like the thought of making an art date for myself although I do spend a lot of time wandering around galleries and such but it is usually spontaneous, making a definate time will be harder but I guess that is half the problem.

I think what I really need to do is find a group of likeminded people that I can sit around with and either paint or draw or just generally do creative stuff. I find that very rewarding and usually discover some inspiration for myself from others experiences and company.

I know I have the talent, and I know I have the experience but what I really lack is the confidence...thats a hard hurdle to get over.

I am creativity.

@hod: You should check into "Doctor Paul's" MindOS system then. It's an ebook and DVD of his techniques which included the one i mentioned. Very interesting stuff, especially if you are strangely obsessed by psychology like me

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Thank You Patman.
I am at once enlightenened..........
...........................
NO futher correspondence required

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You're welcome, sir. I'm glad that my words of wisdom struck a chord with you.