Creativity, artistic vision, left brain phenomenon … how intriguing. It may seem as if a privileged few have natural talent, others not so much. However, with a little insight and experimentation anyone determined enough to try can discover new vistas employed in the creative process. For example, a cook may be limited by what’s currently on the shelf and in the fridge, and yet, by looking for ways to combine things not normally combined, new things surface. That’s innovation at its best!

Give Innovation a Try

When looking at a collection of photos, data or products, you can explore the creative process by merely looking and changing whatever categories are in front of you. Correlations can surface and sometimes lead to remarkable findings. Can a smartphone become a candy bar? Can it? Can a smartphone be made of candy? What about licorice ear buds? Perhaps, you’re looking at data sets and various projects. The car wash is right down the street from the dentist. Can the dentist create an ad that says, “Now that your teeth are clean, what about your car?” or switch it up and think the car wash can have an ad of some kind, “Now that your car is clean, have you done the same with your teeth?” Instead of being inhibited by some internal voice that says you are not the creative type, play around with ideas and see where they lead. This kind of exploration is fascinating. Breaking down then recombining can seem ridiculous, true. Who would squirt mustard into the ignition of a car, or imagine dry wall on ice skates? And yet this type of exploration could very well lead to innovation and discovery. Maybe a restaurant could put its mustard containers on little skateboards. A keychain with little ice skates advertising ice scrapers or a mechanic’s shop using them to promote winterizing your vehicle.

Don’t Hold Back

The process is the key and just being open to the ridiculous. Creativity leads to experimentation. Experimentation leads to innovation.

Just remember one thing. If someone says, “You’re crazy!” Reply, “I know. I’m trying to free up the left side of my brain.”