In the business world one of the newest trends for cutting edge, progressive companies are the cultivation and expression of creativity. Brainstorming sessions and R and D teams and adventure-laden executive retreats have become pathways to higher levels of innovation, product development and prosperity. These bright-star companies understand the value of innovation. Tom Peter says, "We must innovate or die!" Are you ready for higher levels of personal innovation, productivity and prosperity in your life? Yes? Good. As is with most things, if you want something to change in your life you must begin with yourself first. Let's start there, shall we?
It's fairly common for people to say, "I'm not the creative type or I don't have a creative bone in my body". Not true! We ALL have the capacity to create. Granted some of us are on the higher end of the creativity spectrum and the rest of us fall somewhere on the continuum. The point is that we do have the ability to generate original ideas. Problem is that many of us underutilize this ability. Because of a tendency towards complacency and "group think" (if it's not broken, don't fix it) our ability to innovate becomes sluggish.
Peer pressure isn't limited to adolescence; it's actually rampant in our society. We've been conditioned to expect and want approval from others. We stay with in the comfort zone of "mainstream" mindset. To do better, to be better, to achieve our dreams we must stretch ourselves. Here's a clever story that illustrates the folly of acting out of sheer habit.
It is Thanksgiving. A woman prepares a turkey for her family. Her 11 year old daughter observes her mother slice off the end of the turkey. Curious, she asks her mother why she did this. The woman, startled by the question, looks her daughter in the eyes and says, "Gosh, I don't know why, I've always done it this way. In fact, this is the way y mom prepared the turkey too... Let's ask Grandma why she did it. Grandma was asked and she shrugged her shoulders, "I don't really know," she said, "but that's how Mama used to do it." Luckily the eldest cook, Mama, was still alive and well. The 3 generations of women asked Mama about the turkey ritual. Mama chuckled when she gave the answer. "I sliced the end off the turkey because my wood burning oven was very small and I wanted to be sure the turkey would fit!"
Luckily, this 11 year old girl's curiosity opened up the possibility of doing things differently. What about you? In what areas of your life are you operation on auto-pilot? Where do you experience frustration because you aren't getting the results you want and upon a closer look you realize that the same actions over and over again yield the same, less than stellar results? Is it time for a wake up call? Fresh ideas? New strategies?
Unleash your creative genius today by doing things differently:
1. Ask new questions.
2. Be curious instead of judgmental.
3. Take a new way to work
4. Eat in a brand new restaurant.
5. Strike up conversation with someone new.
You will be amazed at the flurry of brand spanking new ideas that will come to you once you"shake up" your routine. Try it. What have you got to lose? Except ancient ways of thinking and being? If you want a something new, try something new!
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