Creativity

1.2.    Creativity

Definition – Creativity may be defined as outside the box thinking, thinking differently from others, thinking unconventionally, and thinking with a new perspective.

We may call it novel, creative and smart thinking.

It means not depending on the thoughts that are already a part of human thinking but coming out with something which is not yet in the box of human thought.

It means coming up with an idea that nobody else has thought of before.

To be creative, you have to leave your comfort zone and explore solutions in the unknown world on 
the outside.

Creativity involves leaving the easy habit of depending on the solutions to a problem that others have offered before you and wandering in the unexplored wild regions that have not been explored by others in search of solutions to problems that one might be facing.

4 Ways to be Creative

1.            Make conscious assumptions – It is a key tool of a creative thinker. You have to make a bold guess without which no great discovery is possible. It is not the same thing as making a guess. You have to think out that if you did a thing differently, how it would work and what the results would be. You have to work out all the implications of the novel solution you have come up with.

2.            Challenge Assumptions – Do not accept without thinking what others have said about a situation. Question traditional thinking and have the courage to try to prove that it is wrong.

3.            Ask Searching Questions – You must have an inquisitive mind. You have to ask why, what when where and how and find answers to these questions. The answers to the questions will lead to a new, never thought of solution.

4.            Step Out of Your Shoes – Change hats. Try to imagine how other people might think of the problem. You may have a habitual way of thinking. Trying to think like another person may give you a new insight into the situation and open up a whole new world of ideas.

Lateral Thinking

     Lateral thinking is a way of solving problems by an indirect and creative approach the logic or reasoning behind which is not immediately obvious to others. It is an approach that puzzles the traditional logicians. Only the person who thinks of the novel approach knows how it will work. Others do not think that it will lead to a solution. Rather, they think that it will create more problems because they are unable to figure out how it is going to work. In fact, even the people involved in the problem are trapped by the bold, unconventional and original reasoning that leads to the solution.

Examples  :

1.            Moses and the disputed baby – Once the followers of Moses brought to him two women and a baby. Either of the two women claimed to be the mother of the baby and sought its custody.

    Moses ordered that the baby be cut into two halves and one half of it be given to either of the two.

    His followers looked aghast. They could not understand why Moses wanted the baby to be killed because that would be the obvious result of cutting it into two halves.

    Just then, one of the women cried out that there was no need to cut the baby. She suggested that the baby be given to the other woman.

    Moses immediately knew that this woman was the real mother of the baby and ordered the baby to be given to her.

   He knew before ordering the baby to be cut into two that the real mother would not allow it to be done. She would rather let the other woman have the baby than allowing it to be killed.

2.            Moses and God:

   When Moses happened to question the ways of God, God decided to show him that they were not. They appeared to be so only because men could not understand them. To show him that His plan is perfect, God told Moses to sit in a temple and keep watching the happenings without saying anything or interfering with them.

   As Moses sat there, a rich man came there. He was going to start a new venture and prayed to God to bless him with success. While departing, he happened to drop a bag of money. Moses felt like telling him about the bag but he kept silent because God had told him to do so.

    Next, a poor man came there. He had no money to feed his starving children. He prayed to God to give him some money so that he might be able to buy food for his children. He was about to go back when he saw the money bag. He took up the bag and went away happy to have enough money to feed his children. Again, Moses wanted to tell the man that the bag belonged to somebody else. But again he kept silent.

    The next visitor to the temple was a sailor. He was going to start a new voyage the next day. He had come to pray that the sea should remain calm for the next two weeks to allow his ship to reach its destination without any harm.

    While he was departing, the rich man returned with the police. They suspected the sailor of having stolen the bag and arrested him. Moses could not keep silent any more. He could not allow an innocent man to be arrested and punished. So he told the policemen that he was innocent as he had been sitting there all the time and watching everything. He told them also that somebody else had taken away the bag.

    Now God reappeared and blamed Moses of having spoiled His whole plan. He then explained what the plan was.

    God had made the rich man drop the money bag. He knew that the money in the bag meant very little to the rich man as he had lots and lots of wealth.

    The poor man was to get money to feed his children.

  The sailor was to be arrested and put into prison and thus prevented from starting his voyage as there was going to be a severe storm in the sea during the coming days. Thus, he would have been saved from getting ruined.