How to Unleash Creative Brainpower

The ability to be creative in solving problems is widely distributed in the general population. All of us have the potential to be highly creative. Most of us only use between five and ten percent of our creative brainpower. We don’t reach our potential because of our attitudes, which have been reinforced at home, in school, and at work. Below are some statements of attitude. Indicate by using a circle and star to determine the best attitude that describes you:

I must never make a mistake.

I must never fail.

I must always be right.

I haven’t got the ability.

I’m not creative.

I have to follow the rules.

I am expected to be practical and logical.

I am not clever enough.

If I am not successful, people will laugh at me.

If I fail I will be chastised or ridiculed.

I am too busy to be creative.

I don’t like taking risks.

I don’t like to play; problem solving is serious.

I don’t have the resources.

It worked before; it will definitely work again.

There are too many obstacles.

I don’t like change.

I am uncertain of success.

I need to know the future before acting.

I like order; this is too ambiguous.

I don’t want to appear too aggressive.

I like the traditional ways of doing things.

I like to see things resolved quickly.

I don’t trust that it will happen naturally.

Analyze those you starred and circled in terms of the following three categories:

Lack of Emotionality - Using up your energy to hold back spontaneous expressions and not understanding the role of feelings in individual thinking and group interactive effort

Polarization - Not perceiving things as a whole; seeing things as opposites, thus not integrating the best of different views.

Lack of Sensitivity - Not being sensitive to others, making only surface contact with self and environment, thus limiting your capacity to explore.

If you are going to be creative, you need to develop a plan to direct your emotional energy, broaden your view of options, and to take the risks associated with true creativity. What are you doing about it?