How To Create and Accomplish More
Expansive thought
Our world is constantly in a state of change.
We are building generously upon the collective progress of our ideas.
We benefit from the many innovations from the past as we dream up new and exciting creations for the future.
Is Creativity a Process?
The Creative Process may seem an elusive act reserved for artists.
We associate creativity with the fringes of society, locked up in a room with paint and canvas.
But creativity exists everywhere if you open your eyes.
The foundation of creation is often hidden and guarded to remain “behind the curtain”.
We often consume creations without thought of how, when and by whom they were created.
We pay little attention to who created a thing or how it works.; however, the impact on our lives can be enormous.
I Think. Therefore, I Make.
A good thought without appropriate action is sinful.
Without the execution of creative ideas, the world as we know it would disintegrate.
The practice of creativity is paramount to develop our ability to expand our thought.
How do you take your ideas and thoughts and unleash them into the world in the form of physical production?
How do we express creativity more often to allow humankind to prosper and let our ideas live beyond our single lifespan?
Is there a secret formula/mindset for being creative?
Imagination and Experience is Greater Than Knowledge
We, humans, have an innate ability first to imagine something and then create it.
From the complicated large-hadron collider to the humble and simple sandwich, the idea began in the mind of a human like you.
The chair you are sitting on, the food you eat, and even the building you are in were once an idea in an architect’s mind.
In fact, almost everything you see originated from a thought
Everything!
How do we lay the foundation of creativity?
When novel and valuable thoughts and ideas collide with initiation and action, we naturally create and manifest value.
There are different procedures to be creative and ultimately create something that is both novel and useful. Think of a recent project that you decided to follow through. It may have panned out like this:
0. Initial Idea
If your mind is open, you realise that the world is flexible and not fixed.
On the other hand, it may feel like the world is missing something.
There is an impact in your mind, and you feel compelled to entertain a thought.
There is an open reality gap, and the idea finds its way into that negative space either from external or internal influences.
Your creativity may be in the form of a novel insight by your environment or the removal of boundaries between good ideas.
Often, you simply combine two existing ideas to create a novel concept.
If the idea is compelling enough to supersede the risks, you may decide to activate the thought.
You imaginatively define what you will build/create and what medium you will use to see this idea through.
Can you express your idea through a draft or proof of concept?
You might do this by speaking your idea out loud and seeking people who have done similar things.
How can you test the feasibility and attempt to forecast any issues before deciding if you will start the idea in motion?
1. Commitment
The value of an idea is in the follow-through and the physical manifestation of the end-product.
You possess an innate intention to complete the project and a clear vision of the end outcome.
You may have the ability to complete the act by yourself if you have or can build the relevant skills and knowledge.
You leverage the know-how, guidance, and assistance from relevant helpers to seek out people who have completed similar projects and processes.
2 Design
Think through the solution at scale and provide a representation of the proof of concept/draft.
Setting logistical constraints can sometimes help you achieve your ambitious goal. However, you may need to put time and money on the line to ensure you can efficiently execute your plan.
Experimentation is critical during design as we work out the intricacies. Unfortunately, failure is a common occurrence at this stage. Nature will test you and find a way to express the question, “How badly do you want to make this happen?”
During your interactions to create something new, you will likely experience hurdles from external influences.
It is normal to meet friction, and I believe this is to measure how committed you are to seeing the completion of creation.
Challenges will arise, and it is okay to fail a few times before getting it right.
The trick to answering the design query is to question how you can make It as simple as possible.
You gather materials and resources to conduct the work. Then execute your plan.
You build your vision to realise your initial creative idea through your own hand or by help from others.
3. Complete and Assess
The outcome is that you have something tangible.
Like a building, there exists a strong foundation and frame that is hidden.
We decorate this creation with external aesthetics for the occupant or user who may be none-the-wiser about the structure.
The most influential act of creating is usually the actual executing state, but it would be a mistake to underestimate the power of thought during the process.
Make It Happen
Thought is the most powerful magic that humans possess. You can imagine literally anything.
The human imagination is our greatest advantage over every other living creature that exists today.
Almost everything that we may take for granted was the labour of another human just like us, with a good idea and the commitment to make it a reality.
If you subscribe to the core belief that the world is malleable, then you can mould the very fabric of reality and create.
It is simple to be creative, with some practice and apply creativity in all areas of life.
We all have this innate power and are usually stopped only by the perceived risks, lack of practice and false idea that creativity is reserved for artists and intellectuals.
Don’t let risk stop you.
Everything around you that you call life was made up by people who were no smarter than you, and you can change it, influence it, and build your own things that other people can use. - Steve Jobs
Even if it is on a small scale, you can create something great.