COMBINING PASSION AND INSPIRATION AT WORK
“Creativity is contagious, pass it on.” — Albert Einstein
UPLIFTING THE IMAGINATION
Have you ever imagined where the creative ideas of famous clothing designers come from? How cake and food packaging in Japan that is very attractive and fascinating? Or how the interior and exterior design of beautiful buildings such as cafes, hotels, or artistic houses across the globe are stunning? Where did all their creativity and bright ideas come from?
I also often wonder whether creativity is inherited from our ancestors or is it something that can be learned? Is creativity a talent from birth or can it also appears when adults?
I didn’t do in-depth research on all of this, but I will tell you from my point of view as someone who plays in the creative industry and has an educational background who demands creativity in each of my college assignments at that moment.
In my point of view, learning to be creative is not something difficult, but also not easy to make out.
Being creative means daring to imagine as wild as possible and breaking the line between something that makes sense and something that is crazy or beyond our understanding.
Then in my opinion, creative thinking is a fun process. Someone who is creative certainly has extraordinary intelligence. Although there are various types of intelligence, but at least if they are creative people, they can definitely turn something ordinary into extraordinary.
I learned about creative things and then decided to work in this creative industry for about 10 years now. Not a minute, I know that. But actually I can realize some of the same things in this process.
First, ideas and creativity sometimes emerge at critical times. I often call it “The Power of Emergency”. When our time is very limited, it is tight with the deadline and must be done immediately, usually our brains will think faster and suddenly can come up with brilliant ideas that we never expected.
Second, these bright ideas come up when we are on vacation or visiting a new place. Here I realized one thing, when our brains are relaxed, it will be really easy to think about creative, unique and interesting matters.
So while on vacation is the right time to make our brains fresh and relaxed, which can then provide a creative space to accommodate new ideas in our brains.
Third, while on the toilet. I often come up with amazing ideas while bathing or defecating. This may be when we are trying to stretch our muscles and release fatigue, making the brain feel relieved and can think creatively.
Fourth, when watching movies, reading books or listening to music. References that are provided by what we watch, read and hear are usually a great stimulus to provoke new ideas in our brains. Thus I often do this routine when looking for references and want to discover a creative idea.
Fifth, when it comes to exhibitions and bazaars. These are definitely the best places to come up with fresh ideas, because we see a lot of ideas on display here. So we can observe and obtain new ideas there.
However, ideas can come from anywhere, at any time, depending on which point of view we look at. Look from a broader perspective, and learn to turn simple things into specials.
“The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.” — Dieter F. Uchtdorf
OBSERVE, IMITATE, AND MODIFY
Here is one method to discover new ideas that I often apply when creating content or something I’m working on, usually I will do this.
Observe, Imitate and Modify. Yes, this method is very effective for making certain content or projects so that it can run smoothly according to my expectations.
First, observe. When trying to find new ideas and concepts, I will attempt to look around myself, looking at similar ideas that already exist.
For example, when I want to write an article with a certain theme, I will learn and observe certain articles with a similar theme, then I see the writing style, the arrangement of the information and how this writing can be packaged in a certain way.
Then I will try to imitate, write in the same storytelling style, in a similar plot or in a similar format. When finished, I will reread my writing and try to develop it.
Here, I have entered the modification stage, make my work differently and have its own characteristics, with various developments that can indicate that it is my work and my writing style.
The steps that I do are very effective and can invariably make me come up with cool ideas every time I make something.
The steps are quite simple, precisely by making observations, imitating, then modifying them into our characteristics.
“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” — Mary Lou Cook
HAVING FUN
Anything related to creativity and finding new ideas is a fun process. So make sure we also have fun during the process.
Never drive it an activity of looking for ideas, being creative and trying to modify something as a burden. Because if we conceive of it as a burden, then everything will turn heavy and look complicated.
But on the other hand, if we see it as an opportunity to have fun and learn, then the process will be fun and the faster we will find new creative ideas.
Think of yourself as having fun playing, free yourself, unleash your imagination, be yourself without being overwhelmed with tasks and deadlines that are chasing you, but let your mind wander and see new and bright ideas.
Remember, when everything is done like when we are having fun, no matter how hard our task is, everything will feel fun and it will make us easier in doing it.
Start by setting the mindset that your job is your place to play, then you should have fun there, instead of being stuck and stressed, your comfort should be a priority.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” — Albert Einstein
